Naked City

Judicial Race Early Birds

Are you ready for Election 2012? If your name is Bryan Case, Travis County assistant district attorney, the answer is hells yes! Case, who's been with the District Attorney's Office for more than two decades – and whom Chronicle readers may recall as one of the prosecutors on the infamous Fran and Dan Keller day care abuse case ("Believing the Children," March 27, 2009) – is already out and about, starting his campaign to take over the district court bench seat to be vacated by retiring Judge Mike Lynch. Case was out in suit and tie on May 14 chatting up voters who were gathered at legendary Eastside beer joint Rabbit's for the 78th birthday party of the eponymous Rosaleo "Rabbit" Duran. Also expected to make a run to replace Lynch is Efrain De La Fuente (one of the yogurt shop murder prosecutors), who ran unsuccessfully in the Dem primary in 2004 for the misdemeanor bench (County Court-at-Law No. 5). We're told at least one Austin defense attorney will also join the race for that seat.