During Hockley County’s regularly scheduled Commissioners Meeting Monday morning,Wendi McNabb was sworn in as justice of the peace for precinct one.
Precinct one is located in the Southeast portion of Hockley County McNabb was a trauma and burn nurse for 24 years before deciding to start her own on insurance agency to play a bigger part in the Ropesville community.
“Part of me deciding to do this and wanting to do this has to do with providing a service to the community and being part of the community,” McNabb said. “And that’s why I left nursing to become an insurance agent was I wanted to be a part of Ropesville and the community instead of going to Lubbock every day.”
McNabb explained it is an elected position but since she was not on the ballot she was appointed through the commissioners’ court.
“I’ve met with judge lawless and kind of developed a plan on training me and getting orientation and I’ve observed his court.”
According to the Texas Association of Counties, the justice of the peace is the presiding officer of the justice court and the small claims court and has jurisdiction over minor misdemeanor offenses and in civil matters where the amount does not exceed $20,000.
The justice of the peace also hears traffic and other Class C misdemeanor cases punishable only by fines, hears landlord and tenant disputes, hears truancy cases, performs magistrate duties and conducts inquests.
“The county is divided up into four areas so if a traffic ticket happens in my area, I will be responsible for those,” McNabb explained. “Some of the misdemeanor debt claims, evictions, and then we’ll rotate call with the other judges in the county as far as magistrate goes.”
McNabb hopes this position and experience will be rewarding and something she will be able to do for an extended period of time.
“This allows me to continue to provide- to be more service oriented- that’s kind of in my nature.”
McNabb’s grandfather in law was the Justice of the Peace before the most recent Judge Sue Coker who retired.
“We just thought it was kind of something that he enjoyed doing and something he did to provide a service for Ropes,” McNabb said. “So, now it’s kind of neat to keep it in the family.”