GUEST ESSAY: Being Justice of the Peace after a tragedy

By JUDGE EVELYN MCLEAN

As a Justice of the Peace in Williamson County, I’ve had the solemn duty of conducting death inquests for many years. It is one of the most difficult and least understood parts of our role. Today, I write not only as a judge, but as a witness to the quiet toll this work is taking on my fellow Justices of the Peace across Central Texas.

In the aftermath of the devastating floods that have swept through our region over the past few days, Justices of the Peace have been called to scenes of unthinkable tragedy. Under Texas law, we are required to respond when lives are lost, whether from natural disaster, accident, or violence. That means we are the ones examining the deceased, determining the cause and manner of death, and often notifying heartbroken families. It is sacred work, and it is heavy.

This past week, that burden has grown especially painful. My colleagues in the flood-impacted counties are performing inquests in extremely emotional, often overwhelming conditions, sometimes multiple in a single day. They return home not just physically exhausted but emotionally frayed. And unlike other first responders, Justices of the Peace are frequently alone in this work, especially in the smaller counties. The cumulative toll is real.

In Williamson County, we realized their pain, and we acted. Our Justices of the Peace reached out to offer assistance with conducting death inquests so our fellow judges could tend to the other pressing needs of their constituents and take a moment to regroup. We know the weight of this work, and we want our colleagues to know they don’t carry it alone.

Your Justices of the Peace are public servants in the truest sense of the word. They are showing up at flood sites, comforting grieving families, and making decisions no one ever wants to make, all with compassion and dignity. But they are also human.

Being a Justice of the Peace is often a thankless job, but I can't imagine doing anything else. It truly is a calling. 

Judge Evelyn McLean is Williamson County Justice of the Peace for Precinct 3.