Loyd Wright, a Republican and former Harris County probate judge, is running to reclaim the bench at Probate Court No. 1 in the Nov. 3 general election.
Wright served eight years as judge of the court after winning elections in 2010 and 2014. Wright called his time on the bench "the most rewarding experience of my professional career."
"I believe in expediting courtroom matters and helping clients and attorneys find solutions to their legal problems without litigation, which can often be complex, time consuming and divisive," Wright said in his response to a Surround Sound News questionnaire. "I want to give voters a quality alternative to the Democrat candidate."
Wright faces Democratic incumbent Jerry Simoneaux, who defeated him in 2018 and again in 2022, when Simoneaux won 51% of the vote to Wright's 49%, according to Ballotpedia.
Candidate information
- Office sought: Harris County Probate Court-at-Law Judge, Court 1
- Party: Republican
- Education: Bachelor's degree in business administration (accounting), University of Texas at Austin (1977); MBA in accounting and taxation, University of Texas at Austin (1980); J.D., University of Houston (1981)
- Family: Married 44 years to wife Wendy; two married children and three grandchildren
- Endorsements: Houston Realty Business Coalition; Conservative Coalition of Harris County
Experience and public service
Wright said he has been a probate attorney or judge for more than 44 years. He started as a tax accountant at KPMG before moving into legal practice in 1983. He has worked at small, midsize and large firms and as a solo practitioner, he said in his questionnaire response.
He was elected judge of Harris County Probate Court No. 1 in 2010 and again in 2014, serving eight years total. He also served as local administrative statutory probate court judge for Harris County from 2016 to 2017. Since 2021, he has operated The Law Firm of Loyd H. Wright.
Wright cited his combined experience on the bench and in private practice as evidence he can handle the job. He said he has seen just about every type of probate or guardianship matter over the course of his career.
On the issues
Judicial philosophy: Wright said on his campaign website that Harris County should elect probate judges "who are not agenda-driven for personal causes and recognize that they should be true public servants."
Differences from opponent: Wright said he respects his opponent's qualifications but believes he is the more experienced candidate. He said he wants to give Harris County voters a qualified choice for the Probate Court No. 1 bench, according to his questionnaire response.
Court efficiency: Wright said he wants to move cases through the courtroom faster and help attorneys and clients resolve probate disputes without litigation when possible.
