Mesquite, TX – September 15, 2020 – The man who has led the Mesquite Municipal Court for more than a decade is retiring. City of Mesquite Municipal Judge Steve Crane has announced his plan to retire on Nov. 13. He has served as municipal judge since April 1, 2010.
Crane said, “I have been blessed to have worked with three Mayors, several City Councils and two city managers – all of whom have been fervently supportive and responsive to the needs of Municipal Court. Moreover, let me unequivocally state that the entire court team, including the court clerks and marshals, have been superlative and have provided optimal service to the Mesquite community.”
During Judge Crane’s tenure, Mesquite Municipal Court accomplished many achievements and started new programs. This includes the Warrant Program in 2014, which allowed those with outstanding citations to clear their warrants without additional penalties. Crane explained the special court session provided people with Class C misdemeanors, like traffic tickets, to be able to see the judge without experiencing the hardship of being arrested for the outstanding warrant and having to post a bond so the judge can discuss all options with the defendant.
Some of the other accomplishments were:
- 2011: Transitioning operations into the new Courts Building.
- 2012: Assisting Mesquite in becoming an official Court of Record to decrease the time to process legal decisions through Dallas County.
- 2013: Conversion to a paperless operation with electronic court dockets.
- 2015: Launched traffic safety public education program through National Night Out and Texas Municipal Courts Week community events.
- 2015 - 2020 Earned the Texas Municipal Courts Education Center Municipal Traffic Safety Award.
Crane added, “I wish to praise Court Administrator Lidia Barraza and her team of court clerks for all the hard work and countless time off the clock during the stages of the court’s achievements. And, a special thanks to City Marshal Mike Meek and his nine Deputy Marshals for creating and maintaining a safe environment.”
Mayor Bruce Archer stated, “I first met Steve Crane when my father was city attorney in the early 1980s and Steve was a young lawyer who had come to Mesquite to do some good and make a difference. Indeed, now Judge Crane has done a lot of good and made a tremendous difference for our city. The City of Mesquite is a better place because of Judge Crane’s service and I’m honored to have gotten to work him during my tenure on the city council.”
Crane earned a B.A. in History and Political Science from Duke University and then completed Law School at Southern Methodist University. After beginning his private law practice, Crane began as a Magistrate, Associate Municipal Judge for the City of Mesquite in 1979, followed by City of Garland in 2004 and the City of Sachse in 1999. He served as the President of the Mesquite Bar Association in 1986. He was appointed Mesquite Municipal Judge in 2010 to replace retiring Judge David Rosen.
City Manager Cliff Keheley shared the search for a new municipal judge with begin immediately and he hopes to have candidates selected for the City Council to consider for the appointment before Crane retires to help with the transition.
