As more and more instances make the Texas headlines about convicted felons running for public office, the question is whether felons are allowed to run.
The the answer is not clear in the Texas Election Code, which states that an eligible candidate must âhave not been finally convicted of a felony from which the person has not been pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities.â
While a pardon is relatively clear cut, itâs the other part of the code that has people scratching their heads: âotherwise released from the resulting disabilities.â
Does that mean a convicted felon who has served his or her time in prison can then later run for office? No one seems to know.
The Pew Charitable Trusts
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered courthouses nationwide and moved a range of court proceedings online, many jurisdictions were using online dispute resolution (ODR) to enable parties to resolve civil cases without setting foot in a courtroom
. Going forward, efforts at standardization will be key to the success of these technologies, helping to ensure that courts and litigants have clear processes to follow and that those processes support an efficient, equitable experience for all users. To that end, the Texas Judicial Council in September adopted a framework for implementing ODR tools and required compliance by county and local courts.