Outside of small circles within the state bar, very few Texans are likely familiar with the nine judges who sit on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - which acts as the Supreme Court for criminal cases in our state. The one exception to this judicial anonymity: Judge Sharon Keller.

Judge Keller made national headlines in 2007 for a reprehensible lack of judgment when she refused to keep the court clerk's office open past 5 p.m. to allow attorneys to file a stay of execution for the next day in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court accepting a case on the unconstitutionality of lethal injection.

Violating the court's execution-day procedures, Judge Keller let an execution proceed that should have been delayed. Holding the powers of life and death, Judge Keller seemed to care more about punctuality than due process.

As a result, hundreds of lawyers from around the state filed judicial complaints with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, which in 2009 charged Judge Keller with five counts of misconduct and in 2010 issued a public warning to her.

But this is not the only black mark on Judge Keller's record. She has a history of dismissing legitimate concerns raised by DNA testing and newfound evidence. And the Texas Ethics Commission fined her $100,000 in 2009 for failing to disclose more than $2.8 million in personal holdings.

This is not the sort of judgment Texans should require in the presiding judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals, a position similar to that of the chief justice. Besides ruling as judge and overseeing the court's administration, the presiding judge should bestow a sense of evenhandedness and justice that gives Texans confidence in their judiciary. Judge Keller has failed at this job.

We highly recommend that voters cast their ballots instead for Democratic challenger Keith Hampton. This endorsement is not merely a rejection of the incumbent judge's poor track record, but enthusiastic support for Hampton's impressive history of working to improve the Texas judiciary, whether trying cases in courtrooms or shaping policy in Austin.

With experience ranging from criminal district courts up to the U.S. Supreme Court, Hampton has an extensive criminal defense track record that's not common enough on the state's highest criminal court. Endorsed by seven former state bar presidents, Hampton is respected across the political spectrum for his work and expertise. As governor, George W. Bush appointed Hampton to the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee to revise the Code of Criminal Procedure. And when he was on the Texas Supreme Court, John Cornyn appointed Hampton to the Supreme Court Jury Task Force.

Hampton also worked with state legislators to improve our judicial system, notably spearheading the creation of Veterans' Courts in Texas - specialty courts that handle veterans suffering from service-related injuries, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, who are prone to violence or drug use.

One would be hard pressed to find a better candidate for the Court of Criminal Appeals.

When Texans go to the polls, they should scroll down the ballot and make sure to vote for Keith Hampton. It's time to return justice and wisdom to our criminal court's highest seat.