Brittanye Morris or the upsurge of a experienced judge in Houston: Houston native Brittanye Morris was taught early in life the importance of serving others and being the change she desired in her community. The daughter of an educator and a retired lieutenant with the Houston Police Department, Brittanye grew up watching her parents work as public servants and dedicate their lives to helping others. Brittanye knows first-hand the challenges faced by working-class families striving to create better lives for themselves and their communities. See additional details on Brittanye Morris Houston.
Brittanye’s decision to run for judge is guided by one main principle: justice for all. Our legal system, courtrooms, and judges are tools meant to ensure justice for all…not just the rich, or the connected, or those that can afford an attorney. Our judges, as administrators of the courtrooms and legal system, are there to ensure that each and every Harris County resident has an equal opportunity at justice. Residents should not have to choose between missing valuable work hours to care for their families, and sitting in a courtroom all day waiting for their name to be called. Our legal system and courtrooms should be fair, accessible, and, most importantly, transparent. Our judges should be fair and impartial. If Brittanye is fortunate enough to earn your vote, Brittanye promises that her courtroom will remain fair, accessible, and transparent for all litigants. As your judge, Brittanye promises to ensure that she and her courtroom will be fair to all, accessible to all, and transparent to all, with the ultimate goal of ensuring justice for all.
Morris entered the Democratic Primary race for the judgeship against incumbent Daryl Moore. She defeated Moore on Tuesday, March 3, 2020, topping him by a landslide 56,175 votes. This sizable victory highlights Morris’s own efforts as a competent conduit for justice. It also highlights the overwhelming support she’s earned from her local community. She brings fresh eyes, grit, and a wealth of life experience to the bench. Seated before a soul food feast at iconic Harlem eatery Sylvia’s Restaurant, Morris recounted her incredible journey with vigor.
Morris’s mother was an educator in the public school system, and her father a police lieutenant. An achiever since childhood, Morris earned her Bachelor’s in Political Science with a minor in History from the University of Houston, and her Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at the prestigious Texas Southern University.
For those looking to leave their own positive mark on history, Morris offered, “Be open. That’s the biggest advice I can give to anybody… It’s those opportunities, those possibilities and those twists and turns that get you where you ultimately need to be.” It’s how she managed to overcome every challenge she’s faced so far. It’s how she’ll successfully overcome those that still lie ahead.
Morris’s experience-rich background lends a core competency to her legal expertise. “I’ve been through situations to where you’re working the best you can, and for whatever reason, your ends don’t meet,” Morris recalled. “That’s a different perspective than someone who had a life where things were afforded to them.” Harris County is the third most populous county in the United States. The Houston Metropolitan area needs genuine, representative leadership just like any East Coast hamlet or bread basket village. “The pendulum is shifting,” Morris noted. “In our community in particular, more and more people are wanting more representation. More and more people are wanting more diversity on the bench.”
“First and foremost, I want to create a judiciary that’s going to be open, accessible, and transparent,” Morris said. More tangibly, she’d like to pioneer teen court programs in local high schools, which allow students to foster their own peer-determined legal precedents. She’s interested in avenues that expand and nourish collective civic engagement. In order for sweeping change to take root, our government needs an infusion of authenticity in the form of real people resolved to enact meaningful, actionable change. Morris is less talk and more walk. She moves from a place of informed balance, equidistant from head and heart, but marrying the unique forces of both.