Kim Laseter
Kim Laseter (Republican Party) is running for election for judge of the Texas 401st District Court. She is on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024. She advanced from the Republican primary runoff on May 28, 2024.
Laseter completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Kim Laseter was born in Texas. She earned a bachelor's degree from Baylor University in 2003 and a law degree from the Texas Tech School of Law in 2007. Her career experience includes working as a lawyer.[1]
Elections
2024
See also: Municipal elections in Collin County, Texas (2024)
General election
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
General election for Texas 401st District Court
Kim Laseter is running in the general election for Texas 401st District Court on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | ||
 | Kim Laseter (R)  | |
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary runoff election
Republican primary runoff for Texas 401st District Court
Kim Laseter defeated Joel Petrazio in the Republican primary runoff for Texas 401st District Court on May 28, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kim Laseter | 66.6 | 17,555 |
 | Joel Petrazio | 33.4 | 8,794 | |
| Total votes: 26,349 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas 401st District Court
Kim Laseter and Joel Petrazio advanced to a runoff. They defeated Shayla Smith in the Republican primary for Texas 401st District Court on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Kim Laseter | 46.4 | 33,876 |
| ✔ | | Joel Petrazio | 41.2 | 30,078 |
| Shayla Smith | 12.4 | 9,085 | |
| Total votes: 73,039 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
To view Laseter's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. To send us an endorsement, click here.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kim Laseter completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Laseter's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am a trial lawyer in my 17th year practicing law. For 17 years I have relied on experienced qualified judges in the courtroom as I have prosecuted child molesters, rapists, gang members, and domestic abusers and as I have defended the innocent. I have relied on judges to know the law, to be prepared, to deliver rulings, and to dispense justice, and I am the most qualified candidate to do that in the 401st District Court in Collin County.
I have trained attorneys and law enforcement statewide in the areas of advanced trial advocacy, domestic violence prosecution, and child abuse prosecution. I have developed and implemented criminal justice programs to help the community and currently participate as the defense attorney in Collin County's first Adult Mental Health Court.
I have handled thousands of cases and tried well over 100 serious cases to jury verdict. I have supervised entire divisions of attorneys, investigators, and legal assistants and managed caseloads in the hundreds at one time while also navigating budgetary issues, backlog, and recruitment.
My courtroom experience is unmatched, and my solid reputation working as a high-level felony prosecutor and as a solo practitioner is evident through countless endorsements from adversaries and allies.
- The 401st District Court is a trial Court, and 61% of the cases filed in FY 2023 were felony criminal cases. The citizens deserve a Judge who has tried felony cases to juries, and I am the only candidate to have tried a felony jury trial in Collin County in the last 15+ years.
- The men and women we trust to keep us safe in Collin County have overwhelmingly endorsed my campaign. Sheriff Jim Skinner, District Attorney Greg Willis, Constable Pct. 1 Matt Carpenter, Constable Pct. 2 Gary Edwards, Constable Pct. 4 Joe Wright, Constable Pct. 2 Elect Dwayne Kurtz, Constable Pct. 4 Elect Steve Asher, the Police Associations from Plano, McKinney, Frisco, Celina and Richardson, and the Collin County Deputies Association have all overwhelmingly supported my campaign. The men and women in blue back Kim Laseter for the 401st.
- I intend to rule based on the law and not my interpretation of the law or what I might desire for the law to be. My voice as it relates to changes in the law is exercised at the ballot box and not from the bench. If elected, I will be a Judge who adheres to the Constitution, who continually immerses myself in legal education and improvement, and who humbly serves the community, recognizing that the cases which come before a District Court are not only typically some of the most factually complex and with the highest of stakes but also often some of the most emotionally difficult for the litigants.
As a former prosecutor, I am personally passionate about justice being served in our court systems. Justice looks different from case to case but is achieved when our judiciary knows the law, listens carefully, and follows the law.
Integrity is crucial. Citizens must be able to find their elected officials as honest and trustworthy individuals. Additionally, elected officials must be dedicated to public service and hardworking. Finally, for the office of judge, an elected official must be able to exercise judicial restraint.
A district judge must be able to do extensive legal research, must be able to write opinions, must be able to conduct bench and jury trials, must be able to lead staff, must be able to analyze courtroom efficiency by monitoring case backlog, must keep up with current legal education, and must be visible and available to the public in a way that promotes transparency and confidence in the system.
While not the first that I remember, one of the most poignant historical events in my lifetime was the horrific September 11, 2001 attacks. I was 19 years old in college at Baylor and recall my spanish class let out early that morning as the news came in all over our nation. Fear and uncertainty were overwhelmingly present that day, but the national pride and commitment to justice that followed those horrific acts continues to inspire me.
As it relates to judicial philosophy, I believe in judicial restraint. Judges are to be interpreters of law—not makers of law. A judge must not try to legislate from the bench or attempt to create law based on personal bias. Opinions should be narrowly tailored to the issue directly before the court and avoid unnecessary broad resolutions. As a judge, I will read the law and apply the facts to the letter of the law as written.
I am seeking this position so that the 401st District Court and the people of Collin County might have the most dedicated, reasoned, and hardworking public servant possible. As an Assistant District Attorney, I handled some of the most difficult and disturbing cases to come through the office. My experience managing the stress of an ambitious case load while supervising support staff and mentoring new attorneys was the ideal preparation to oversee a fast paced, dynamic court office comprised of competing personalities, a full docket, and passionate advocates.
My extensive trial experience has caused me to be skilled in courtroom procedure and evidence, critical skills for a judge. It is my reputation as a litigator and my willingness and ability to outwork my opponents that causes other experienced attorneys to seek my counsel and assistance. In addition to that, it is my compassion and reputation for caring about the individual beyond just the case that causes clients to seek me out when their liberty is on the line. I firmly believe that the temperament of a judge is just as important as the judge’s knowledge or organizational skill. My temperament—the ability to balance professionalism with respect and care for the individual—will serve me well as a judge.
My experience and those who have placed me in positions of leadership and authority have prepared me to be not only a good and fair judge but a dedicated public servant this county can be proud of. I have the knowledge, temperament, and experience to provide the most effective and efficient forum for citizens to resolve disputes.
Yes, absolutely. As a former government employee, I developed strong working relationships with many members of our local government. Having those relationships will serve me well as members of the judiciary in Collin County are called upon to work together to resolve budgetary, personnel, and other non-courtroom related issues that arise.
Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis
Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner
Retired Sheriff Terry Box
Prosper Mayor David Bristol
Fairview Mayor Henry Lessner
Plano Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Maria Tu
Plano Police Association
McKinney Police Officers Association
Frisco Police Association
Celina Police Association
Richardson Police Association
Collin County Deputies Association
Collin County Pct. 1 Constable Matt Carpenter
Collin County Pct. 2 Constable Gary Edwards
Collin County Pct. 4 Constable Joe Wright
Collin County Pct. 2 Constable Elect Dwayne Kurtz
Collin County Pct. 4 Constable Elect Steve Asher
Collin County Patriots
McKinney Values PAC
Grassroots America, We the People
Texas Right to Life
Latinos United for Conservative Action
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on April 29, 2024
Federal courts:
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas
State courts:
Texas Supreme Court • Texas Court of Appeals • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals • Texas District Courts • Texas County Courts • Texas County Courts at Law • Texas Statutory Probate Courts • Texas Justice of the Peace Courts
State resources:
Courts in Texas • Texas judicial elections • Judicial selection in Texas
