by Carol Sims | Mar 16, 2021 | Uncategorized
AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Melisa Skinner as Judge of the 437th Judicial District Court in Bexar County for a term set to expire on December 31, 2022, or until her successor shall be duly elected and qualified. Melisa Skinner of San Antonio currently an Assistant District Attorney for the 38th Judicial District Attorney working on US/Mexico smuggling and human trafficking cases as part of the Texas Anti-Gang Task Force. Previously, she served as Judge of the 144th Judicial District Court in Bexar County and as an Assistant Criminal District Attorney for the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office. She served as Judge of the 290th Judicial District Court in Bexar County from 2011-2018, and prior to being elected she was an Assistant District Attorney for the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas and a former member of the San Antonio Business Women’s Association. She is the former chair of the Juvenile Probation Budget Committee and former chair of the Bexar County Acquisitions Board. Additionally, she is a former volunteer for the Ronald McDonald House, San Antonio Conservation Society, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and for the Northeast Independent School District. Skinner received a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from The University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor degree from St. Mary’s University School of...
by Carol Sims | Feb 23, 2021 | Uncategorized
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Rhonda Hunter as Judge of the 303rd Judicial District Court in Dallas County for a term set to expire on December 31, 2022, or until her successor shall be duly elected and qualified. Rhonda Hunter of Dallas is an attorney and owner of the Law Office of Rhonda Hunter, and is board certified in Family Law and Child Welfare Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Previously, she served as the Administrative Chief of the Juvenile Division of the Dallas County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, and was a partner at Farrow Gillespie & Heath. She is and a board member and former president of the Dallas Bar Association, member of the State Bar of Texas, and is chair-elect of its Child Protection Law Section. She is a member of the American Bar Association House of Delegates, former president of J.L. Turner Legal Association and the Dallas Association of Black Women Attorneys, and former member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Additionally, she is chair of the Committee for a Qualified Judiciary and former chair of the Dallas Bar Community Service Fund. She is a former member of the North Texas Food Bank Board, Young Audiences of Greater Dallas Board, Child and Family Guidance Centers Board, and the Dispute Mediation Services Board. Hunter received a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor degree from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of...
by Carol Sims | Feb 23, 2021 | Uncategorized
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Kristina Williams as Judge of the 192nd Judicial District Court in Dallas County for a term set to expire on December 31, 2022, or until her successor shall be duly elected and qualified. Kristina Williams of Dallas is an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas and previously served as a Senior Attorney for Dykema. She is a former law clerk to Hon. Edith H. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and Hon. Nathan L. Hecht of the Supreme Court of Texas. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Federalist Society, and the University Park Preschool Association. She is a former chair of the Texas A&M Aggie Women Network and the Young Alumni Advisory Council, and former at-Large Representative for the Texas A&M Association Leadership Council. Williams and her family attend Stonebriar Community Church. Williams received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas A&M University and a Juris Doctorate degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Houston Law Center. This appointment is subject to Senate...
by Carol Sims | Feb 23, 2021 | Uncategorized
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Ashley Wysocki as Judge of the 44th Judicial District Court in Dallas County for a term set to expire on December 31, 2022, or until her successor shall be duly elected and qualified. Ashley Wysocki of Dallas is a consulting attorney and mediator for litigation matters with an emphasis on family law, commercial law, and civil litigation. She previously served as Judge of the 254th Judicial District Court in Dallas County. She is a member of the American Bar Association, Dallas Bar Association, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, and the State Bar of Texas and its Family Law Section. She is a former member of the Lubbock County Young Lawyers and West Texas Bankruptcy Association. Additionally, she is a former member of the American Red Cross South Plains Regional Chapter Board of Directors. Wysocki received a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology from The University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Business Administration and Juris Doctor degree from Texas Tech University. This appointment is subject to Senate...
by Carol Sims | Feb 11, 2021 | Uncategorized
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Dustin Howell as Judge of the 455th Judicial District Court in Travis County for a term set to expire on December 31, 2022, or until his successor shall be duly elected and qualified. Dustin Howell of Austin is the former Judge of the 200th Judicial District Court and 459th Judicial District Court, both in Travis County. He previously served as an associate at Baker Botts and McKool Smith P.C., and as an assistant solicitor general for the Office of the Texas Attorney General. He is board certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and is a Barrister in the Lloyd Lochridge Inn of Court. He is a former board chair of the Texas Young Lawyers Association and board member of the Austin Young Lawyers Association. He currently serves on the Texas Lyceum Board of Directors, and is a former member of the Bookspring Board of Directors and the Texas Tech Law Alumni Executive Committee. Howell received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from The University of Texas at Austin and a Juris Doctor degree from Texas Tech University School of Law. This appointment is subject to Senate...
by Staff CR | Jan 13, 2021 | Uncategorized
Governor Abbott Appoints Valenzuela To Fourth Court Of Appeals January 11, 2021 | Austin, Texas | Appointment Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Lori I. Valenzuela to the Fourth Court of Appeals for a term set to expire on December 31, 2022, or until her successor shall be duly elected and qualified. The Fourth Court of Appeals in San Antonio serves Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Brooks, Dimmit, Duval, Edwards, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Jim Hogg, Jim Wells, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, La Salle, Mason, Maverick, McMullen, Medina, Menard, Real, Starr, Sutton, Uvalde, Val Verde, Webb, Wilson, Zapata, and Zavala counties. Lori I. Valenzuela of San Antonio is Judge of the 437th Judicial District Court in Bexar County, where she has served since 2009, and an adjunct professor at The University of Texas at San Antonio. Previously, she served as an attorney in private practice and as an assistant district attorney for the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office. She is a founder and co-presides over a Felony Veteran’s Treatment Court, chair of the Texas Center for the Judiciary Board of Directors, a former board member of the Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee, and fellow of the State Bar of Texas and the San Antonio Bar Association. Additionally, she was appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas as chair of the Court Reporter Advisory Committee, and is a member of the San Antonio Mexican American Bar Association and the Bexar County Juvenile Board. She previously served on the Child Fatality Review Board and the Boy Scouts of America Executive Board and is a member of the St. Mary’s University Alumni Association and Texas Exes....
