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ABOUT JOHN
Are you tired of politicians promising lots when they are running, but delivering little when they are in office?
Me too.
For the past three years I’ve had the privilege of serving as your Justice of the Peace. Before I took office, I vowed I wasn’t going to be that guy.
Here are some of the things my office has accomplished since I became your Justice of the Peace, January 1, 2019.
Accomplishments.
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In 2019 we cleared a backlog of over 2300 cases from our court’s docket.
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In 2020 we created a Legal Information Center outside our office that contains information packets explaining the various types of cases our court hears including a step-by-step explanation of the process and what procedures must be followed. Information packets are available in English and Spanish.
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We also finally connected our office to the state-wide Omni database, allowing more efficient tracking and enforcement of warrants issued by our court.
Doing More with Less.
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Each year I’ve been in office, my budget request has been less than the year before, at the same time, the Precinct’s population growing about 10% a year. We are literally serving more constituents today than in 2019 and we’re doing it with less money!
Helping keep drunk drivers off the road.
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. I have issued over 195 Blood Search Warrants (BSWs) in 2021 and counting. I have issued over 370 BSWs since I took office, (more than the rest of the judges in Hays County combined. I have been told by several law enforcement officers and members of the District Attorney’s office that before I took office, they couldn’t find a judge to sign BSWs.
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What is a BSW? When someone suspected of driving while intoxicated (DWI) refuses to perform a field sobriety test and/or a breath test, a law enforcement officer may apply for a BSW. Assuming there is probable cause, a judge may issue a BSW authorizing a licensed medical professional to draw the suspect’s blood for testing. Without scientific evidence, in this case the suspect’s blood alcohol content, many juries have been reluctant to convict DWI Defendants.
. I am a retired Navy officer, having served 5 years on active duty and 17 years in the Navy Reserve. I retired at the rank of Commander, the equivalent of Lieut. Colonel in the other services.
In addition to serving as your Justice of the Peace since 2019, I’ve been a licensed attorney for over 24 years.
I also earned a Ph.D. degree from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and was a medical research scientist for over 13 years.
I live with Melody, my wife of 37 years, my 89 year-old mother, Pat, a puppy dog, and a cat. We have been blessed with three children and nine grandchildren.
I care about serving the people of Precinct 4 and work very hard to be the best JP I can for you and all the people of Hays County.
A big thank you to the voters of Precinct 4 who trusted me to be your JP the past three years. If I’ve met your expectations, please vote for me in 2022 so I can serve another four years! If I haven’t, please contact me and I’ll try to address your concerns.
Questions? Comments? Please contact me any time at: John@ReElectJohnBurns.com
