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    NORTH AMERICAN Newsline                                                MARCH 27, 2026      |  The Indian Eye 24

                          Fort Bend Judges Highlight Role

                of Courts in Strengthening Democracy

                                            at Community Forum

            OUR BUREAU
            Fort Bend County, TX
                  he importance of an indepen-
                  dent judiciary and an informed
            Tpublic took center stage at a
            community forum hosted by the In-
            dian American Public Affairs Coun-
            cil  (IAPAC),  where  two  Fort  Bend
            County district judges spoke candidly
            about the courts’ role in safeguarding
            democracy.
                The  event,  part  of  IAPAC’s
            Conversations  Over  Coffee  series,
            featured Judge Monica Rawlins of
            the 328th District Court and Judge
            Surendran Pattel of the 240th Judi-
            cial  District  Court.  The  discussion
            was moderated by Gordon Quan, a
            veteran attorney, former Houston            Judges Surendran Pattel and Monica Rawlins with community members at IAPAC’s Conversations Over Coffee forum.
            City Council member, and board-cer-
            tified lawyer with nearly five decades
            of legal experience.                                                                                      The program concluded with a
                Addressing a gathering of com-                                                                    question-and-answer session, during
            munity  members,  the  judges  dis-                                                                   which attendees asked about court
            cussed  judicial  independence,  civic                                                                procedures,  jury  trials,  and  how  ju-
            engagement, and the day-to-day                                                                        dicial independence contributes to
            workings of the court system, em-                                                                     public confidence in the legal system.
            phasizing the need for public trust in                                                                   “By  bringing  judges  out  of  the
            democratic institutions.                                                                              courtroom and into the community,
               “One  of  IAPAC’s  core  missions                                                                  IAPAC  created  a  rare  opportunity
            is to strengthen civic awareness and                                                                  for residents to better understand
            engagement within our community,”                                                                     how  our  judicial  system  addresses
            said Naveen Kochoth, president of                                                                     real  issues,”  said  Madan  Luthra,  a
            IAPAC.  “Programs  like  Conversa-                                                                    Houston community leader. “The
            tions Over Coffee allow residents to                                                                  thoughtful  dialogue  between  the
            engage  directly  with  public  officials                                                             panel and the audience made it a
            and better understand the institu-                                                                    truly meaningful experience.”
            tions that sustain our democracy.”                                                                        The event opened with wel-
                Judge Rawlins, who spent more     From left: Gordon Quan, Judge Surendran Pattel, and Judge Monica Rawlins at IAPAC’s   coming  remarks  from  Dr.  Rajasree
            than two decades practicing family                     Conversations Over Coffee forum.               Nambron, an IAPAC board member,
            law before taking the bench in 2023,                                                                  and concluded with a vote of thanks
            spoke about the responsibility judges   “A judge must set aside personal   members and the judges,” Gir said.  by Dr. Parvin Shaikh, also a board
            carry when applying the law.      opinions and relationships and focus  “It helped demystify the courts and   member. Organizers expressed ap-
               “When discretion is applied, it’s   only  on  the  law,”  Pattel  said.  “Our   gave people a clearer understanding   preciation to First Cup Coffee Com-
            important  that  judges  understand   responsibility is to apply the law   of how  our  democratic  institutions   pany for hosting the gathering.
            the pulse of the community and ap-  fairly and impartially so that every   function.”                     The Indian American Public
            proach cases with both knowledge of   person who comes before the court   Quan noted that forums like this   Affairs  Council  (IAPAC)  is  a  non-
            the  law  and  compassion,”  Rawlins   receives justice.”           play a vital role in strengthening pub-  partisan  501(c)(3)  nonprofit  organi-
            said.                                 The informal setting of the dis-  lic understanding of the judiciary.  zation dedicated to promoting civic
                Judge  Pattel  reflected  on  his   cussion encouraged open dialogue,   “Our courts are essential to main-  engagement, leadership, and public
            journey from practicing law in India   according to Dr. Roopa Gir, a found-  taining the balance of power in our   service. Through initiatives such as
            to serving as a district judge in Texas,  ing member and past president of   democracy,” he said. “Conversations   Conversations Over Coffee, IAPAC
            underscoring the principle of impar-  IAPAC.                        like this help the public better under-  brings together community members
            tiality as the foundation of the justice   “The  setting  allowed  for  a  gen-  stand  how  the  judiciary  works  and   and public officials to encourage in-
            system.                           uine exchange between community   why judicial independence matters.”  formed civic participation.

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