The Mind Body Project
The Mind Body Project
Sit Down Conversation w/ Angelia Richardson
We sit down with Angela Richardson, a lifelong runner and seasoned court professional, to explore how discipline, law, and budget stewardship shape the race for county judge. Clear talk on probates, guardianships, fiscal health, and what it would mean to make history as the county’s first female judge.
• why running discipline translates to steady leadership
• how Angela built a legal career in Bowie
• what a county judge handles day to day
• when cases move to district court and why
• personal financial liability for probates and guardianships
• the e-filing workflow and courtroom preparation
• goals for lawful process and county stability
• the budget cycle, tax rate setting, and fiscal health
• significance of potentially electing the first female county judge
• election date and how the community can engage
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Welcome to the Mind Body Project Podcast. After over a decade in the health and wellness industry, Aaron realized that our bodies change only short term unless our mindset changes for long-term success. Both our mind and body are forever linked. We are continually building up new ideas and tearing down old ones in our construction zone we call our mind. After this podcast is over, make sure you give it a like and a share. And please subscribe and review this podcast. I would now like to introduce you to your host, the man connecting your mind and body to create a limitless life, Aaron Degler.
SPEAKER_03:Welcome back to the Mind Body Project. Thanks for taking a little time to join me today. Today, please welcome my guest. Today is Angela Richardson. Angela is part of our community here of ladies at M2B Fitness. As a community, we just wanted to support Angela for her run for our local Monte County Judge. We want to take a little time today to visit with her, get to know her a little bit, and of course share it with each of you. So thank you, Angela, for joining me today.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, thanks for having me here today, Aaron.
SPEAKER_03:So it's gonna, we're in, it's election time. Election time, all sorts of things. But as but we're gonna talk a little bit about your run for election for county judge here in Monte County. But we're gonna work up to that, but we kind of want to go back a little bit, get some background, talk about kind of you as a person. We talk a lot about elected officials and we talk about what they can do and what they have to offer and experience. So we're gonna get to that, but we also like to know the person behind the office. Yes. Um, because that's always a fun, fun place to look. So as we've talked earlier, you've been in Bowie in the surrounding area for the last 20 years.
SPEAKER_01:Yes. Yes, I moved here in 2005.
SPEAKER_03:2005 because of work or because of Reese.
SPEAKER_01:Because of Reese, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:And Reese would be my husband. The love of your life.
SPEAKER_01:Yes.
SPEAKER_03:20 years ago.
SPEAKER_01:Yes.
SPEAKER_03:So if you weren't from Bowie, how did you and Reese meet?
SPEAKER_01:We met at Peterbilt. We worked together there when I was in college and doing the uh summer hire program at Peterbilt. And that's a program where if your parents worked there or one of your parents worked there, then you could they would hire college students for the summer to come in and fill in like people going on vacation and everything. They we were kind of fillers for those spots. And that's how we met.
SPEAKER_03:And then you met him there, and then then and then what after you got married, you moved to Bowie? Because you were living in I was living in Whitesboro. Whitesboro.
SPEAKER_01:Yes. Oh, so not too far away. No, about an hour.
SPEAKER_03:Uh huh. Yeah. Yeah. And then so it wasn't a big stretch, because you know, uh sometimes when people say, Well, I moved to Bowie, they go, Well, you know, sometimes what do we have? Right. So it's a because it's a little different than Metroplex or something like that. So um, you are kind of used to that. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Small town girl.
SPEAKER_03:So it didn't take a lot to get used to Bowie.
SPEAKER_01:No.
SPEAKER_03:From Whitesboro. Right. So you move, and uh, so I've known Angela and I have known each other for a long time.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:And I've always known Angela to run like ever since I've known you. And and we're not talking about just a casual runner. Angela likes to, she'll come work out and run in the morning. You might see her at the courthouse running around at lunchtime. Yeah. You might see her after work running around. And the interesting thing about Angela is she has to have lots of running partners because it takes that many to keep up. Because Angela might want to run 10 miles, but a running partner might only run three or four. And then so in comes another one to tag team out and then runs another three or four with you. Then another one finishes it up. Rarely, if you'll see you running with a partner the whole time for that many miles. Right. Um, so where did that love of running come come from?
SPEAKER_01:Well, years ago, I just kind of got into it. And then, you know, it's one of those things. At first, it was hard to even go a mile. And it, but it just became a passion of mine, and I continued with it. I've learned it's one of those things. You either really love it or you really hate it.
SPEAKER_03:And that's true. People are like, oh, I love to run. Like, and I see people like I like to work out. But people I always think like to run like I like to work out. Like, I think you're crazy to like to run that much. Like I think that's a lot of running. And even sometimes I think that's you run that's too much running. But it's what people like.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:And and I always think when it comes to energy-wise, because it has always seemed to me over the years you have boundless energy.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Because that takes a lot of work. Because we're not talking like you might go a half mile, lunch, or mile. It's probably two or three miles. Yeah. But that's after you probably did three or four or five in the morning. Right. And you're probably going to do some more of that like that in the day. So where does that energy come from? I mean, because that takes a lot. And not only, I mean, it's it's not like you're not working a full-time job because we're going to talk about that, but where does that energy come from?
SPEAKER_01:I don't know. I just, I don't know. It's adrenaline. I love it. It's it's actually a stress reliever. So I just love to do it.
SPEAKER_03:And I and I find because I've been in health and wellness for the past almost 20 years. And I always think there's a there's a very strong correlation between people's dedication to their fitness because they take that dedication. It's not just to fitness. Oftentimes, when you find people dedicated to fitness, you find them dedicated to everything in their life, right? Which is very, very interesting. And I've trained hundreds of clients. I've met hundreds of people that are into fitness, thousands of people. And you you dig into a little bit of their life and it's the same way. So, and I know that's the way you approach your career.
SPEAKER_01:I do.
SPEAKER_03:And so when did when did you become interested in law, in wanting to be a part of that system?
SPEAKER_01:In college. When I first started off, I you know, after I graduated high school, I went to college, and that's when I went for legal assisting, and it just bloomed from there. I actually started my legal career when I moved here to Bowie 20 years ago. Had my first legal assistant job and stayed in that field for 10 or so years, and then I took a little break to take care of my grandma after my grandpa passed away, and then I went to work at the county judge's office after that.
SPEAKER_03:And that's been for the last seven years. Seven years. So for the last 17 years. Well, longer than that, but 17 years in legal assistant in working for the judge and and you've been currently working for the current judge for the last five years. Five years.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, because I worked for a previous judge before that, before he retired.
SPEAKER_03:So I'm gonna so sometimes when it comes to judges, I'm not too bright. So there's we have a like a district judge, right? That's the one that that does things at the courthouse. I mean, I think all of the other stuff at the courthouse. But then we have like a JP. Like we have a judge here in town in Boeing.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, so that's municipal judges.
SPEAKER_03:Okay.
SPEAKER_01:And we have two JP judges over in the courthouse in Montegue. We have two precincts.
SPEAKER_03:So, so what's so kind of explain the difference or or more what the county judge does. Because I think sometimes I know I kind of look some of that stuff up because I get confused about what does you know, our municipal judge do, what's a district judge do, what's a county judge do.
SPEAKER_01:So the district judges like they do a lot of family law, like child support cases, divorces, bigger civil cases. It depends on the money amount on some of those cases. And then if we we do probates, guardianships, misdemeanor. So district judge does felony criminal. But if we have a probate that's contested, we would transfer it to the district court. Because if it's contested, the county judge is not a lawyer or have any law degree or anything like that as to where a district judge does. So if it's a contested probate, a lot of times you have to do have like either a statutory probate judge or send it over to the district judge. And statutory probate judges to get them to come in and fill in is very expensive for the county. So we try to avoid that by sending it to the district court because they're they have a law degree and they can hear those type of cases, the contested ones.
SPEAKER_03:So the county judge isn't doesn't require a certain education.
SPEAKER_01:Correct.
SPEAKER_03:But a lot of experience.
SPEAKER_01:A lot of experience, I believe, is necessary because as everything else, you know, the county judge's office has evolved just like anything else does these days. It grows. And if you don't have the experience, it's a lot. I mean, we like I said, the county court does probates, guardianships, which a lot of people don't know, but the county judge is personally financially responsible for probates and guardianships.
SPEAKER_03:So what does that mean? Like what does it mean for them to be personally responsible?
SPEAKER_01:So if if there was any kind of matter that was like a dollar amount and something was done incorrectly or wrong, it could come back on the county judge and out of the county judge's pocket, money-wise.
SPEAKER_03:So it's a so it's an important, I mean yes. I mean, that's a big Yes. It's a big thing.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, it is. So what is and what is your current position at I'm the administrative assistant to the county judge.
SPEAKER_03:So you're doing all the filing, paperwork, you're seeing basically everything he's probably seeing. Yes, and listening to.
SPEAKER_01:Because I go into court with him, I take notes and anything that comes through. We have e-file now, so a lot of attorneys e-file their documents versus coming in and filing in in person anymore. And so once it's received through e-file, it gets forwarded to me before I forward it to the judge to review. And I review all the files and everything before the hearings, so and point out anything that I may see before it goes to him to help him out.
SPEAKER_03:So so a lot of a lot of stuff you're I mean, besides making a final decision, you're kind of doing all that stuff.
SPEAKER_01:Yes.
SPEAKER_03:I mean, already and passing it on to him and and and doing that.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:And and another thing about this this race as you're running for it, if elected, you'll be the first female county judge in our county, correct?
SPEAKER_01:Yes, that'd be correct.
SPEAKER_03:So so how does that how does that make you feel?
SPEAKER_01:It makes you feel excited. We recently had the first female district judge in the county and in Monte County?
SPEAKER_03:So that was our first female district judge.
SPEAKER_01:Yes. Huh.
SPEAKER_03:I didn't know that.
SPEAKER_01:Yes. And so, yeah, it makes me very excited.
SPEAKER_03:And and so part of part of our our mission at M2B Fitness, part of the Mind Bodies Project, is empowerment. And we are on all female, M2B Fitness is all female. And and that's exciting to think that we could have our first county judge because it really is empowering. It is really saying that I hate to say, sometimes we don't move as quick. Our culture, our community doesn't move as quick as others. So it's exciting to see that we have forward momentum, forward progress, forward thinking, because I think all those bring different thoughts and ideas to the to the county. Right and can make a difference. And so you know, election is March 3rd. Yes. March 3rd.
SPEAKER_02:Yes.
SPEAKER_03:And so what are some of what are some of your goals? Some of the things you want to accomplish to achieve one if you're elected.
SPEAKER_01:I want to achieve to keep the county in the financial state that it's in. It's in a very good financial state right now. I want to just continue on the success of my predecessors, you know, and and my goal is to do everything by the book, by the law. You know, that's very important to me. And it has been to the the judge right now, and I've learned a lot from him. And just want to ensure stability and you know, help the citizens in Monte County.
SPEAKER_02:Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER_03:And I think it's very powerful too that you've been there. I mean, doing the work for the last, I mean, you've been the assistant administrative assistant for the last five years. And that's uh doing it being it's it's and like you said, there's a lot to it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:I I think so many times we see those positions and we think, well, there's probably nothing to it.
SPEAKER_02:Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_03:You know, you just go and do your job. Right.
SPEAKER_01:But there is so much because not only the judge probably is over other Yeah, he's the budget financial officer, which, you know, the commissioner's court sets the tax rate and the budget each year. And the judge is very involved. You know, he's the budget officer. So, you know, starting in May, usually he starts having budget meetings with all the department heads and everything up and till till we adopt the budget.
SPEAKER_03:So part of his responsibility.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, till sep usually August we adopt the budget.
SPEAKER_03:Is getting the budget lined out with each department head and Yes. And and and to say that that the county is in good financial state. Yeah. We don't always hear that. Right. Right. You know, and and so that's a really a good thing that shows well managed funds, well managed budgets, because that's where I mean, well that's where the money comes from.
SPEAKER_02:Yes.
SPEAKER_03:And and when we lack that budget is when we get into trouble. And like you mentioned, the the count.