BEAUMONT — Three candidates for 172^nd District Court judge met in a forum Thursday, discussing career challenges and highlights before the Southeast Texas Press Club’s monthly meeting.

Attorneys Melody Chappell and Tina Bradley will face off in the Democratic primary run-off election Tuesday. Early voting is under way this week.

The Chappell-Bradley winner will face Republican candidate Mitch Templeton in the Nov. 6 general election. Templeton ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Each candidate made opening statements, followed by questions from the news media. Candidates answered questions on topics including endorsements, dealing with backlogged caseloads and courtroom experience.

Chappell, who works with Wells, Peyton, Greenburg & Hunt law firm, has 25 years of experience. Chappell said her proudest moment in law came from helping a man from China, Texas.

“His wife passed away, and he found himself without an ID,” she said. “He was a veteran who was 87 years old, and I worked with him for two years to get an ID. He was so grateful because he needed it to do his banking and he needed it so he could vote. After a two-year journey, he received his ID and was able to vote. That’s the reason I became a lawyer, was to help.”

Bradley, who works with Hobson & Bradley, has 20 years of experience. Bradley said that she didn’t have a specific moment or case that made her proudest.

“Being able to represent people across a diverse section — I’m proud of myself every day,” she said. “I’m able to help people who it is very difficult to help in our current legal, political climate in Texas, but I’m still able to manage a successful, thriving law practice just by working hard. I love my clients.”

Templeton, who works of Templeton & Brinkley, has 27 years of experience. Templeton said his proudest moment practicing law was winning a case for two Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office deputies, Dwayne Johnson and Brian Doyle, accused of excessive force.

“I tried that case several years ago and they were vindicated in federal court,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of moments, but that would probably be No. 1. They were wrongfully accused and had been railroaded by the system. They had been thrown under the bus by the disciplinary review board that did not really investigate the claims against them and I was able to correct that.”

Each candidate was asked to respond to criticisms specific to their previous work. Templeton, who is a member of the BISD board of managers, was asked how much responsibility he takes for problems that still face the school district, specifically incidents that occurred at Pathways Learning Center.

“Since I was appointed right before Hurricane Harvey, not that much,” he said. “However, I won’t avoid the question. Angela Bransford and I were appointed right before Harvey, so naturally, once we took our seat on the board, a lot of our time and effort was dominated by dealing with hurricane-related issues. However, right before our appointment, the board that was there set standards for referring students who violate disciplinary rules to Pathways. It is my perception that those guidelines are not being followed. Too many students are being dumped into that facility. That is something that is ongoing. Of course I accept full responsibility for the decisions I make on the board of managers. I don’t make a decision in a vacuum and I am only one vote on the board.”

Templeton said the board of managers could not fix problems that occur in students’ homes.

Bradley was asked about critics citing her perceived lack of experience in a courtroom affecting her ability to handle a judge’s duties.

“It has been asked of me how many of my cases are tried to verdict,” Bradley said. “Not many, because my cases are large, complex civil cases. I’ve started many, many trials and settled in the middle of trials. While those didn’t go to trial, we have (experience) preparing cases and picking juries. These cases, whenever you go to trial on these, they are four-to-six-week trials. It’s extensive motion practice. I’d put one of my complex civil-litigated cases with these oil and refinery companies with any workers compensation pay or any two-or-three day wreck case any day of the week. ”

Chappell was asked about advocating for the demolition of South Park Middle School in Beaumont while representing BISD in 2010. The district claimed that bond money was not going to be used. A later forensic audit showed bond money was used for the demolition.

“I did not advocate for my client at all that South Park should be torn down with or without bond funds,” Chappell said. “The actual truth of the matter is that Judge (Bob) Wortham ruled that South Park could not be torn down with bond money. BISD took that ruling and made a decision about what to do. That’s the way it works.

“The lawyer does not make a decision or advocate to their clients what they should or shouldn’t do. The lawyer tells them this is the law. Judge Wortham didn’t say they couldn’t tear the school down. He just told them they could not use bond funds. The school district decided to tear it down. Whether they used bond funds, I don’t know.”

Polls for early voting in the Democratic primary run-off close at 7 p.m. Friday. Polls will open again Tuesday.