EDUCATION
UT/El Paso, El Paso, TX, BSMT, 1985
South Texas College of Law, Houston, TX, JD, 1992

Voter Guide Profile for TX Judge, Court of Crim. Appeals, Place 2 candidate - Mark Ash

8. Plaintiff MARK ASH resides in Harris County, Texas, where he is registered to
vote and intends to remain and vote in future elections. In the 2024 election cycle, Ash is a
candidate for Place 7, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Ash ran as the LPTexas nominee for
Attorney General in 2022, the LPTexas nominee for Place 1, Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme
Court in 2020, and for the LPTexas nominee for Judge, Place 8, Texas Court of Criminal
Appeals in 2018.

Case No. 21-1089; Bilyeu v. Nelson — Fourth Am. Complaint and App. for Dec. and Inj. Relief (PDF)

Mark Ash earned a law degree from South Texas College of Law. He resides in Harris County, Texas.

Mark Ash - iVoterGuide

Mark Ash earned a law degree from South Texas College of Law. He lives in Harris County. 

MR. MARK J. ASHE
Eligible to Practice in Texas
Mark Ash & Associates PC

Bar Card Number: 00785673
TX License Date: 05/07/1993

Primary Practice Location: Houston , Texas

State Bar of Texas Member Directory — Mark J. Ash

Practice information

Firm: Mark Ash & Associates PC

Firm Size: Solo

Occupation: Private Law Practice

Practice Areas: Criminal

LEGAL EXPERIENCE - NONJUDICIAL

  * Private practice, Mark Ash & Associates PC (since 1994)
  * Staff Attorney, Office of Manuel Solis (1994)

2018 CCA8 | Texas Judges

Mark Ash works in private practice at Mark Ash & Associates PC, a solo firm with a criminal-law practice. He previously worked as a staff attorney in the Office of Manuel Solis.

Home | Mark J. Ash - State Bar of Texas

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Mark Ash ran as the LPTexas nominee for attorney general in 2022, for chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, Place 1, in 2020, and for judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8, in 2018.

Mark Ash ran as the LPTexas nominee for Attorney General in 2022, for Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, Place 1, in 2020, and for Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8, in 2018.

2026 Texas General Election

Has practiced criminal law privately at Mark Ash & Associates PC since 1994.

- Has practiced criminal law privately at Mark Ash & Associates PC since 1994.

Legal Experience

OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES
Election of judges by the people for a definite term of office is the best way to select judges.
Agree

Supports selecting judges through elections for defined terms of office.

- Supports selecting judges through elections for defined terms of office.

Judicial Administration

“Texas has a dual-track judicial system,” Ash pointed out. “The Texas Supreme Court handles civil cases. The Court of Criminal Appeal handles criminal cases. The judge who wins this race will be handling criminal cases, so the issues that matter most to me are civil liberties issues: the Fourth Amendment right to privacy, the Fifth Amendment right not to incriminate oneself, the right to due process, the abuse of searches and seizures, and other civil liberties issues.”

Libertarian Mark Ash Will Challenge Michelle Slaughter for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Ash also believes in the importance of jury nullification, the principle that juries can declare a defendant to be “not guilty” if they deem the law in question to be unjust, inhumane, or unconstitutional.

“I believe that juries should be informed of their right to find defendants not guilty of unjust laws,” Ash said. “To provide more transparency in police interaction with the public, I encourage the practice of police officers being required to wear body cameras … and that they always be turned on.”

“I believe that juries should be informed of their right to find defendants not guilty of unjust laws,” Ash said. “To provide more transparency in police interaction with the public, I encourage the practice of police officers being required to wear body cameras … and that they always be turned on.”

What is the proper use of legislative history in interpreting statutory law?
All laws written by the legislature should be interpreted in such a manner to not do violence to the US constitutional guarantees of personal and individual liberties.

The U.S. Constitution and my state constitution should be interpreted as living documents, rather than use a strict constructionist or originalist philosophy.
Disagree

Prioritizes Fourth Amendment privacy, Fifth Amendment protections, due process, and limits on searches and seizures in criminal cases.

Supports informing juries of their right to acquit defendants charged under unjust laws.

Encourages requiring police officers to wear body cameras and keep them activated.

Believes laws should preserve constitutional guarantees of personal liberties and rejects interpreting the U.S. and state constitutions as living documents.

- Prioritizes Fourth Amendment privacy, Fifth Amendment protections, due process, and limits on searches and seizures in criminal cases.
- Supports informing juries of their right to acquit defendants charged under unjust laws.
- Encourages requiring police officers to wear body cameras and keep them activated.
- Believes laws should preserve constitutional guarantees of personal liberties and rejects interpreting the U.S. and state constitutions as living documents.

Judicial Philosophy

As of September 11, 2026, Mark Ash did not have a website or any information online.

Ethics & Conduct

Community Involvement

Mark Ash

As of September 11, 2026, Mark Ash’s website did not contain information on this issue.

LinkedIn

EDUCATION
UT/El Paso, El Paso, TX, BSMT, 1985

South Texas College of Law, Houston, TX, JD, 1992

Voter Guide Profile for Mark Ash

Mark Ash earned a BSMT from the University of Texas at El Paso and a law degree from South Texas College of Law.

On Wednesday, October 26, the campaign of Mark Ash, Libertarian nominee for Attorney General, sent in an op-ed for publication titled, “Libertarian Candidate for Attorney General Recommends Democrat Rochelle Garza.”

Today, the Ash campaign has requested the retraction of that op-ed. Ash’s campaign said he is not withdrawing from the race and is not endorsing Garza.

Mark Ash Requests Retraction of Op-Ed

Texas Supreme Court:
Texas Supreme Court Place 1 Chief Justice:


Nathan Hecht, Republican
Amy Clark Meachum, Democrat
Mark Ash, Libertarian

Texas Supreme Court Place 6


Jane Bland, Republican
Kathy Cheng, Democrat

What North Texans Need to Know to Vote in the November 2020 Elections

Mark was the Libertarian nominee for attorney general. He was also listed as the Libertarian candidate for Texas Supreme Court Place 1 chief justice.

Mark Ash Op-Ed on Attorney General's Race - The Amarillo Pioneer

Your North Texas Voter Guide For The 2020 General Election

Believes juries should be told that they may acquit defendants under unjust laws.

Advocates interpreting legislation consistently with constitutional guarantees of individual liberties.

- Advocates interpreting legislation consistently with constitutional guarantees of individual liberties.
- :null

Alejandra Gracias

Buket Urgen

Okey Anyiam

Thomas Smith

- Voters of the entire state elect judges to the Texas Criminal Court of Appeals. He or she serves in that capacity for a full six-year term. There are no term limits, but judges must retire at 75 years or older.
- The court has the power to overturn a criminal conviction and is the final authority on criminal matters in the state of Texas.
- The Criminal Court of Appeals can choose whether or not to review most criminal cases. However, the court is required to review cases involving the death penalty or bail denials.
- Court of Criminal Appeals judges earn a salary of $210,000 to $264,600, depending on how long they have served.

One of nine judges who serves on the highest appeals court for criminal matters in Texas. 