Andy Garcia Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Andrew Garcia has announced he will run for a second term.

Garcia, a Republican, took office Jan. 1, 2007.

“I’ve enjoyed it, and I’d like to serve the community another four years,” Garcia said.

Precinct 1 includes the city of Lampasas and stretches to County Roads 2277 and 3480. The precinct also reaches east to the new Farmto Market Road 1715.

About 6,000 registered voters -- nearly half those in the county -- live within Precinct 1.

Garcia said he does not know of any potential Republican or Democratic challenger. Filing deadline is Dec. 31.

If necessary, a party primary will be held in March. The general election will occur in November 2010.

Lampasas County justices of the peace are responsible for ruling on fines and traffic citations, setting bail, issuing warrants, handling small-claims and justice court suits, presiding over truancy and juvenile detention hearings, and issuing mental health emergency detention orders. In addition, justices perform inquests on all unattended deaths and can perform weddings.

Justices of the peace are on call for inquests and warrants 24 hours a day, Garcia said.

“There’s a lot to this job,” he said. “There’s a lot of people who think it’s just sit in here and collect money from speeders. Nothing could be further from the truth.”

Before his election as justice of the peace, Garcia served as a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper for 32 years. In his last six years with DPS, Garcia worked in commercial vehicle enforcement.

Garcia said he hopes a second term will allow him to incorporate new technology more completely in the Precinct 1 JP office.

“I’ve just started,” he said. “By no means have I learned this job [fully], because every day brings a new challenge.”