The district courts are the trial courts of general jurisdiction of Texas. District courts have original jurisdiction in all felony criminal cases, divorce cases, cases involving title to land, election contest cases, civil matters in which the amount in controversy (the amount of money or damages involved) is $200 or more, and any matters in which jurisdiction is not placed exclusively in another trial court. While most district courts try both criminal and civil cases, in the more densely populated counties the courts may specialize in civil, criminal, juvenile, or family law matters.
Occupation
Judge of the 236th District Court
Education:
Juris Doctorate - St. Mary’s University School of Law (1989)
Bachelor of Arts (English) - Baylor University (1986)
Experience:
236th District Court, Tarrant County: Presiding Judge (January 2026-present)
The Fillmore Law Firm: trial and appellate practice (1990-2025
United States Courts: Briefing Attorney for U.S. District Judge David O. Belew, Jr. (1989-1990)
Since 1989, the focus of my law practice has been complex civil litigation at the trial and appellate levels in state and federal courts. I have represented both the powerful and the powerless on both sides of the docket. I have tried numerous cases to verdict in state and federal courts.
Since January 2026, I have served as Judge of the 236th District Court of Tarrant County. When I took office, the 236th had a tremendous backlog of approximately 2200 active cases. Today, that number is 1640.
Access to justice in a civil district court begins with a court that actually decides cases. Delay is itself a barrier. I have focused on clearing backlog, entering and enforcing realistic scheduling orders (docket control orders), ruling promptly, and holding parties to the rules so cases move to trial or resolution instead of lingering for years. Equal access also means every litigant—represented or not—is treated with the same courtesy and held to the same law.
It is very important to reduce backlog. When I took over the 236th District Court, it had a tremendous case backlog. With diligent work (and a great staff supporting me) the active case number has been reduced from approximately 2200 to 1640 cases. I have developed, implemented, and enforced scheduling orders (docket control orders). I regularly identify and cull from the docket cases that have become dormant. I rule promptly. I manage trial time to ensure efficient and fair trials.
Texas elects judges, so fundraising is part of the job. I do not let it become part of the ruling. I decide cases on the law and the record in front of me, not on who contributed or who might. I would rather lose an election than enter an order I cannot defend on the merits.
One emerging problem in civil courts is generative AI producing “phantom” authority—citations to cases that do not exist or that do not say what the brief claims. I do not ban useful tools, but I do require accountability. The scheduling orders I use include an AI-disclosure requirement: if generative AI was used in preparing a filing, counsel must say so. Counsel remain responsible for what they sign. Technology may assist the work but it does not replace the duty of candor to the Court.
B.A. in English Literature from Texas A&M University
J.D. from Texas A&M School of Law
I have spent years as a guardian ad litem and attorney ad litem, appointed by courts to represent those who cannot fully represent themselves. That work requires exactly the qualities a civil district court judge needs: careful investigation, neutral analysis, the ability to hear all sides before reaching a conclusion, and the courage to report honestly even when it is uncomfortable.
I would approach access on several fronts, including fully utilizing the remote hearing technology that has become standard practice since 2020. Requiring litigants and attorneys to appear in person for routine motions that could be handled efficiently by Zoom imposes unnecessary costs in time and transportation that disproportionately burden working families and small businesses. An efficiently managed remote docket is not a convenience, it is an access issue.
My approach to docket management would rest on several principles. Part of that would involve utilizing clear scheduling orders with meaningful deadlines set early in each case create predictability for attorneys and parties while reducing the drift that produces backlog.
My approach begins with full compliance with and genuine internalization of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct. Beyond mere compliance, I believe judicial impartiality is maintained through transparent practices and clear personal commitments.
I entered this race without the connections that might create the kind of institutional obligations that compromise judicial independence. I am accountable to the voters of Tarrant County, not to the donors.
The increasing complexity of civil litigation involving technology and artificial intelligence will require judges to engage seriously with novel legal questions rather than defaulting to outdated frameworks. Questions about AI-generated evidence, digital privacy in civil discovery, and liability in automated systems will reach civil courts with increasing frequency. I'm committed to ongoing judicial education in these areas and approaching novel questions with genuine intellectual engagement.
