Bee Cave City Council members July 13 named David L. Garza as the city’s new municipal court judge to replace Jack Stick who is not seeking reappointment when his term expires July 31.

Garza said he is ready to hit the ground running and preside over his first session of the Bee Cave court Aug. 6.
He literally could run from his house in West Lake Hills to Bee Cave City Hall, which is a commute that appealed to him.
“It’s just 8 miles from my house, so it’s very convenient,” Garza said Monday. “I’m familiar with the area. I saw that they were looking for someone, so I put my name in the hat.”
He brings 20 years of legal experience to the position, including five years as chief of the foreign prosecution unit of the Texas Attorney General’s Office and five years as chief of the public integrity unit of the Travis County District Attorney’s Office. Garza also served as a part-time municipal court judge for the City of Austin.
“I don’t think the learning curve will be that great. It’s more learning how this court does things and determining whether or not I would want to make any changes in those processes or procedures,” he said.
Because Bee Cave’s municipal court is a court of record, the city requires its judge to be a licensed attorney. The city also requires three years of municipal court judge experience.
Before the City Council meeting July 13, council member Bob Dorsett said that Garza had emerged as the front-runner based on previous and current judicial experience and the ability to fit into the Bee Cave community.
Dorsett, who served on the search committee, also said the city’s goal of a seamless transition from Stick to the new judge could be realized.
“I think it’s going to be pretty smooth,” he said.
Garza said he would strive for customer-oriented service to the community and an objective perspective.
“I just hope to be fair and a neutral, detached magistrate who will follow the law and do what’s right,” he said.
His role as a mediator for such clients as the U.S. Postal Service, Alliance Work Partners and private attorneys has given him the ability to see all sides of an issue, he said.
Garza wants to connect with the Hispanic community because he not only speaks Spanish but also is fluent in their culture.
“I think that will be an asset to the court as well. [This area’s] demographics are changing to where there are more Hispanics,” he said.
He is eager to take the court to another level.
“I’m looking forward to working with the folks at Bee Cave. I hope to do a good job and manage and lead the court in a positive direction as the city grows,” Garza said.
Stick, who departs under a cloud of litigation, cited work and family commitments as the reasons for his decision.
“When one tries to do too many things it becomes difficult to do any of them particularly well,” he wrote. “I would not want to look back in two more years and see that any one of those obligations of mine suffered because I tried to do each.”
He volunteered to serve as an associate judge until the city finds a successor, if the city were to create the position.
“I remain committed to Bee Cave and will do all I can to afford the council the best opportunity to find a replacement who meets the needs of the city,” he wrote.
Bee Cave appointed Stick as its municipal court judge in August 2008.
“Although the court has experienced its growing pains, it is well-positioned now to continue adapting to the changing needs of a growing and diversifying community,” he wrote. “As I review the last two years, I think the court has had a salutary impact on this community.”
Since former court clerk Jennifer Curry filed a whistleblower suit against Stick and the city and a complaint against him with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, council members have been reviewing his appointment, employment, evaluation and duties and met in closed session April 27 to evaluate Stick’s performance.
Earlier this year, he cited Curry with indirect contempt of court when she would not release original court documents to him to take home for review Jan. 26.
Stick accused her of indirect contempt afterward and she received her summons on Feb. 11, and her original hearing took place Feb. 12 in Bee Cave Municipal Court with Stick presiding.
Stick, who has declined media requests for interviews, recused himself and granted her a motion of continuance.
“I have never seen an order of the court defied as openly as that,” he said during the hearing.
Stick referred the case to Judge Billy Ray Stubblefield, presiding judge for the Third Administrative Judicial Region, who assigned Senior Judge Paul Davis to hear the case.
Based on Stick’s allegations, Curry faced four counts of indirect contempt of court. Davis dismissed all four counts based on two motions by Curry’s attorney and two motions by the prosecution.
“The state’s attorney wrote in to say they didn’t have enough evidence to support the charges,” Curry’s attorney John Judge said.