Administrative Judge of Board of Judges
Expeditious dispatch of Judge Elma Salinas Ender,
Judge Hale's decision to step away raises some questions

 

By María Eugenia Guerra

The story of the shabby and expeditious dispatch of respected jurist Elma Salinas Ender – at the hands of some of her fellow judges – from the head of the Webb County Board of Judges took an interesting buckle with the news that the newly elected Administrative Judge, Oscar J. Hale, has declined to serve in the position to which he was named seven days ago.

Hale's announcement raises the same questions Salinas Ender's ousting does. Hale has asked the State Attorney Gene ral's office to give an advisory opinion that will clarify some of the procedural issues the Board of Judges applied to remove Salinas Ender on August 10 and to name Hale to the position of Administrative Judge.

Salinas Ender, judge of the 341 st District Court, was eight months into her third term as the Administrative Judge for the Webb County Board of Judges when she was asked to step down in a concerted effort led by 49 th District Court Judge Manuel Flores.

Salinas Ender, who is considered the least political of the four sitting district judges, has built a reputation on even-handedness and on the professional demeanor she accords those who come before her court.

Salinas Ender's removal at the Aug. 10 meeting she did not call and which she did not attend, was done, in the opinion of many with a measure of impunity in a vote that has the appearance of the unauthorized participation of county court at law judges Alvino Morales and Jesus Garza. District Judge Raul Vasquez of the 111 th District Court, who did not support Salinas Ender's removal at an earlier meeting, was not present at the Aug. 10 meeting.

Salinas Ender was enroute to San Antonio with her family when she heard the news of her removal Aug. 10.

“I made this decision to decline because there was such a lack of confidence in the decision of the Board of Judges. I had the support of the majority of the judges, but I would rather have the confidence of the com munity,” Hale said. “I did not consult with any of the other judges, but chose instead to advise them by letter of my decision,” Hale said, adding, “There is a lot of confusion over what an Administrative Judge is and over whether or not Judge Salinas Ender is still a judge. There were some who mistakenly thought we had removed her as judge of the 341 st . There are some who believe I have left the 406 th,” Hale said, adding, “We'll live with what the AG tells us about whether the local rule of administration we created will hold up.”