John Turner (Texas politician)
John Turner | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | Crockett, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | Harvard University and Yale University |
| Website | johnturnerfortexas |
John Turner is a politician and attorney.[1] He won the Democratic open primary election on March 6, 2018[2], and went on to win the Democratic primary in Texas 114th district on May 22, 2018.
Early life and education[edit]
Turner was born in Crockett, Texas. His mother was president of the local school board. His father, Jim Turner, was first a state legislator and later a congressman.[3] As a child, Turner worked for his grandfather’s small home-building business, and later as a news and weather broadcaster at a local radio station.[1]
Turned earned his undergraduate degree at Harvard University, and a law degree at Yale University. He married Jenia Turner, a law professor at Southern Methodist University, in 2004. The couple have two sons.[1]
Law career[edit]
Currently, Turner is an attorney with Dallas-based law firm Haynes and Boone.[1] In that role, he represents plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation. His work covers a broad spectrum of business and commercial law, ranging from intellectual property cases to contract disputes to antitrust matters to environmental proceedings. According to Haynes and Boone, "his approach to litigation is guided by a few key practices that are crucial to a successful outcome in any lawsuit: effective communication with the client, thorough investigation of the facts, and clear explanation of the law.[4]" Turner is also co-chair of the firm’s Trade Secret Litigation Practice Group.
Turner has also represented public interest and governmental entities. From 2011 to 2015, Turner represented a coalition of 88 Texas school districts to challenge the adequacy of the school finance system in Texas. After trial, District Judge John Dietz ruled in favor of the school district coalitions, finding that the system had evolved into an unconstitutional state property tax and that it failed to provide school districts with funding sufficient to meet constitutional standards.[5][6] "The Constitution requires that districts have access to adequate resources to ensure that all of their students have a meaningful opportunity to meet state expectations and graduate college- or career-ready," Turner said of the case.[7]
Turner was awarded Woodward/White, Inc's Best Lawyers in America designation in 2018.[8]
Political views[edit]
Better funding for public schools[edit]
Turner stands for better funding for Texas' public schools, pointing to Texas' rank as 48th in the country for per-student school funding and per-student funding that has not kept up with inflation.[9]
Safe and livable neighborhoods[edit]
Turner believes in supporting libraries, parks, and other public spaces. He believes in bringing control of public spaces back to local control in Dallas, and increasing the number of officers in the Dallas Police Department.[10]
Economic development[edit]
Turner believes in maintaining world-class universities, infrastructure, public schools, and transportation networks. He opposes socially conservative bills such as bathroom bills, which he believe stifle economic development and stigmatize vulnerable children. He also believes the state's $10 billion dollar rainy day fund is too high, and that some of those funds should be reinvested in growing the Texas economy.[11]
Health care[edit]
Turner believes in expanding health coverage by using the federal tax dollars available under the Affordable Care Act. He points to the Parkland Hospital's expensive care of uninsured patients, wanting to increase the amount of health coverage so less patients are going to hospitals without insurance, increasing Texans' premiums.
External links[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Meet John". John Turner for Texas.
- ↑ "State Primary Election Systems" (PDF). National Conference of State Legislatures. June 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ↑ Gromers, Jeffers Jr. (June 2017). "Texas Democrats targeting Republicans in seven Dallas County state House districts". The Dallas Morning News. Dallas News. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ↑ "John Turner Partner PRofile". Haynes and Boone. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ↑ Weaver, Lesley (February 2013). "Texas School Finance System Ruled Unconstitutional, NISD Officials Pleased with Ruling" (PDF). Texas School Coalition. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ↑ Stutz, Terrence (2013). "Judge rules Texas school finance system unconstitutional; appeal expected to Supreme Court". Dallas News. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ↑ "Texas school finance system ruled unconstitutional". Houston Chronicle. February 4, 2013. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ↑ Koppel, Nathan (16 August 2017). "Haynes and Boone Featured in Best Lawyers in America 2018". Woodward/White, Inc. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ↑ "Grading the States". Education Counts.
- ↑ Epperson, Jessica. "Safe and Liveable Neighborhoods". Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ↑ "A Growing Economy". Retrieved 14 August 2018.
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