A Broad View by Jerry Hogan: Duties and Responsibilities of Justice Positions in Rockwall County

Rockwall County, TX (January 26, 2026) – There are two contested justice positions on the March 3 primary election. One is the Court at Law while the second is the Justice of Peace. Both will be discussed in this article.

For Court at Law number 1 in Rockwall County, the Judge has the responsibility to preside over both civil and criminal cases. He or she hears some criminal cases, civil cases, family law matters, juvenile cases, as well as probate matters and guardianship cases. He also is the judge where Justice of Peace appeals are determined.

He is also responsible for overseeing family code proceedings such as child custody and support. He may issue writs, injunctions, and enforcement orders. Unlike the District Judge, this judge cannot hear a capital murder case, official misconduct misdemeanors, or contested elections.

The judge must be a lawyer and must work full time as a judge without engaging in any private practice of law.

There are four lawyers on the ballot for this open position in Rockwall County. In alphabetical order, the first is Richard Archibald. He has concentrated his law practice on litigation in federal and state courts, and in arbitration.

Cameron Cowan has specialized in his practice in family law handling divorce cases, domestic violence issues, and child custody cases. He also spent 15 years as a prosecutor and is board certified in criminal law.

Ben Massar is currently one of the Justices of Peace in Rockwall County. Prior to assuming that elected office, he was an Assistant District Attorney in Galveston County. He also has spent 24 years as a self-employed attorney where he focused on criminal defense for both felonies and misdemeanors.

Tiffany Miller has practiced law for over a decade with a concentration in family and criminal law, juvenile matters, CPS, estate planning, and probate. She also is a certified mediator in civil and family cases. Of interest is her past Presidency of both the Rockwall Republican Women and Rockwall Women’s League.

The salary of the Court at Law Judge comes from both Rockwall County and the State. The county portion is $105,000 per year, and the state contribution raises the salary to the same as a District Judge minus $1000. Currently that would be an additional $69,000.

The second judicial position on the ballot is that of Justice of Peace, Precinct 2. (JP)

The JP is responsible for hearing cases that are Class C misdemeanors; those where the punishment is fine only with no jail time. These would include traffic violations, certain penal code misdemeanors, and truancy cases.

He or she also hears civil disputes such as small claims suits, debt claim actions, landlord –tenant disputes including evictions, and civil cases where the amount does not exceed $20,000.

The JP also acts as a magistrate which includes issuing warrants, setting bail or bond conditions, conducting hearings, and issues protective orders.

The JP may also perform marriage ceremonies and conduct inquest into unattended or suspicious deaths.

The JP courts are designed to be the ‘people’ courts. They handle matters that affect daily life in the community from traffic tickets and animal complaints to landlord-tenant conflicts and small civil disputes. If there is a death in your home, don’t be surprised to see one of the Rockwall County JP’s arriving to sign the death certificate.

There are two candidates seeking this position in the March 3 election: Victor Carrillo and Chris Florance. Both have been County Judges in the past.

Victor Carrillo is a lawyer and previous judge of Taylor County. He also was an assistant city attorney and municipal court prosecutor in Abilene. In addition, he was a city council member in Abilene as well as being an elected member of the Texas Railroad Commission, where he twice served as chairman.

Chris Florance was previously judge of Rockwall County from 2007-2010. He has lived in the county since 1988 and ran a successful construction company both before and after serving as Rockwall judge.

The salary of a Rockwall County Justice of Peace is $104,265 per year with an additional $4,920 provided for a car and telephone expense.

Both judicial positions are important as they ensure the proper application of the law is performed. Please get to know the pros and cons of each individual for these positions.

Jerry Hogan is a former Rockwall County Judge who can be reached at jerryhogan@sbcglobal.net or 214-394-4033