LUBBOCK JUDGE WAS REPRIMANDED FOR RULING WITHOUT TRIAL NOTICE

Lubbock Justice of the Peace Francisco “Frank” Gutierrez received a public reprimand after a state commission found he decided a debt collection case without giving either side notice of a trial.

The August 25 order concerns a case involving LVNV Funding. A May 2024 proceeding was scheduled to consider a request for arbitration, but the commission found Gutierrez turned it into a final trial and entered judgment for the collection company.

Both sides later asked to set aside the judgment. It was vacated in October 2024 after intervention by a county court.

The commission also found Gutierrez failed to respond to repeated requests during its investigation. The order requires 4 additional hours of instruction on court procedures and cooperation with the commission.

The sanction did not remove or suspend him from office.

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Photo Via Lubbock county, Lubbock