Meet Clay Jenkins
Dallas County Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins
began his first term in office on January 1, 2011. A first-time public
official, Judge Jenkins brings business acumen, legislative experience, and an
unparalleled commitment to the office of County Judge.
Judge Jenkins is a native of
Dallas County and spent most of his childhood here before moving to his
mother’s hometown of Waxahachie after the death of his father. He became the
first member of his family to graduate college earning his law degree from
Baylor University in 1987. His work experience includes serving as an education
aide to the late Senator Oscar H. Mauzy; a congressional intern to U.S.
Representative Martin Frost; a LBJ intern to the late U.S. Senator Lloyd Bentsen;
and a clerkship with the Texas Supreme Court.
He is the President of Jenkins
& Jenkins, a successful law practice with offices in Dallas and Waxahachie.
He is also the co-owner of Brown Dental Health Services, which employs 13
dentists and provides dental care to residents in more than 100 facilities in
North and East Texas.
Recognizing the value of a
skilled, educated workforce, Judge Jenkins plans to utilize his role within the
Dallas
County Truancy Courts to close the gap between truancy and graduation
rates. The Dallas County Judge is responsible for overseeing the county’s
truancy courts which hear cases from partnering
school districts and enforce the truancy court orders as directed.
As the chief-elected official of
the county, Judge Jenkins is also responsible for the
Homeland Security
and Emergency Management Department that
provides around the clock staff to protect Dallas County citizens through
coordinated security and emergency-management resources with regional and
national partners.
Judge Jenkins began working immediately with his colleagues to build consensus on issues that will Dallas County forward. Under his leadership, the county passed a Transparency Policy which provides for a more open government and easier online access to pertinent county documents.
Understanding the difficult economy, he is also
working with the Office of Budget and Evaluation to implement performance-based
budgeting measures to ensure that Dallas County is rewarding efficiency and
streamlining operations based on a pre-determined set of standards established
by the Commissioners Court.
Judge Jenkins will also assume
vital roles with regional partners having been named to the North Central Texas Council of
Governments Executive Committee, the Regional
Transportation Council, and the Public Power Pool Board.
He will serve within the county as a member of the Dallas Criminal Justice
Advisory Board Executive Committee, the Juvenile
Board, and the Dallas
County Benefits Committee.
Judge Jenkins is committed to
building infrastructure and fostering economic development throughout Dallas
County and to greatly increasing the tax base.
As Dallas County Judge, he is working
collaboratively to jump-start the Inland Port project through targeted
infrastructure improvements, and is committed to ensuring that the new Parkland
hospital is built on time and on budget and constantly expands its ability to
provide care by improving protocols and adapting technological advances.
Judge Jenkins is married with one
daughter. Their family worships at Highland Park United Methodist Church. They
are active in their church and PTA.