Kosub willing to learn if elected 30th District Court Judge

Becoming the next 30th District Court Judge would be a continuation of his career as a public servant, said candidate Dobie Kosub.

Years ago, when he started law school at Texas Tech, his dream was to become a prosecutor. As a judge, he would have the opportunity to help both the victim and the offender, he said.

He grew up in Luling, a small town south of Austin, with educator parents. His mother was a teacher and his father, a principal.

Kosub received his undergraduate degree in English at Baylor University.

He met his wife Stacy, also an attorney, while they were both attending Tech. The couple has two children.

Serving as an assistant district attorney with the Wichita County Criminal District Attorney Office for the past 16 years, Kosub said, has been an important job for him.

“It allows me to serve you, the public,” he told the Times Record News Editorial Board members Wednesday morning.

“Ours is a community ravaged by drugs. I don’t have all the answers, but I can take little bites off and try to offer opportunities (for the offenders to rehabilitate),” Kosub said.

While not set in stone, the candidate said he would like to find the funds to set up a drug court, a specialized program to help offenders get off drugs and improve their lives.

“It can entice people to correct their ways,” he said. It may not solve all the problems the county faces, he said, but it is a step in the right direction.

As a trial lawyer, Kosub has worked on cases involving a range of crimes including drug manufacturing, sexual abuse and even murder. He has tried more than 70 cases with more than 40 as the lead prosecutor.

Kosub’s experience is criminal law rather than civil, but he asserts he is just as qualified to be the 30th District Court Judge as his opponent. This court sees a variety of cases including family, civil and criminal law. Coming into the job with experience in just one area of the law is not necessarily a deterrent, he said.

Many Wichita County judges have had successful careers coming into the job with specialized experience, Kosub noted.

Both Kosub and his opponent Jeff McKnight showed interest in the 89th District Court Judge position after the sudden death of Judge Mark Price.

In the next two years, there will be openings for at least two district court judge seats, but Kosub claims the 30th District Court is the best fit for him.

Due to his lengthy career as a criminal prosecutor, Kosub contends there could be some conflicts of interest if he were a 78th District Court Judge. This court, he said, sees more criminal cases and he may be more likely to see defendants with whom he previously worked.

Kosub said he may come in to the job not knowing everything, but says he is willing to read up on anything he is not familiar with.

“My pride will not blind my resolve to learn,” he said.

A feature on McKnight, Kosub's opponent, ran in Thursday's edition of the Times Record News.