Judge Ernest “Ernie” Aliseda
J.D. ’91
State District Judge
139th State District Court, 2004–2005
398th State District Court, 1999–2001
UH Law Center Judges Wall: Alumni Judges & Visiting Jurists
The University of Houston Law Center is honored to recognize our alumni judges, past and present, as well as distinguished visiting jurists in residence. The Judges Wall, displayed on the first floor of the Law Center in Houston, Texas, celebrates members of the judiciary whose service and careers inspire our students and the UH Law community.
The judicial photographs and biographies displayed on the physical digital wall are also preserved on this page so students, alumni, members of the legal community and visitors can explore the collection online.
This is an ongoing recognition project made possible by community submissions. To suggest an alumnus or jurist for inclusion, submit the Judges Wall form. For questions, corrections or updates to an existing biography, contact Kristina Van Arsdel at kgvanars@central.uh.edu.
Alumni Judges and Visiting Jurists
Browse the University of Houston Law Center's alphabetical collection of alumni judges and visiting jurists in residence. Select a biography to view the corresponding Judges Wall profile.
Judge Eric Andell
J.D. ’71
Justice, First Court of Appeals, State of Texas, 1992–2000
Judge Kelley Andrews
J.D. ’07
Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 6, 2019–Present
Courtney Burch Arkeen
J.D. ’99
128th Judicial District Court, 2011–Present
Judge David Ayala
J.D. ’80
U.S. Immigration Court, 1993–2017
Judge Nancy J. Bailey
J.D. ’85
City of Houston Municipal Court, 1996–2012
Justice Thomas J. Baker
J.D. ’83
Third Court of Appeals, 2019–2024
Judge J. Manuel Bañales
J.D. ’75
105th Judicial District, 1987–2010
Judge Stephanie S. Bascon
J.D. ’91
466th Judicial District Court, 2021–Present
Judge Fortunato “Pete” Benavides
J.D. ’72
United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, 1994–2023
Justice Gina M. Benavides
J.D. ’88
Thirteenth Court of Appeals Texas, 2006–2024
Justice J. Wade Birdwell
J.D. ’89
Texas Court of Appeals, 2nd District, 2017–Present
Justice Frances Bourliot
J.D. ’07
Fourteenth Court of Appeals, 2019–2024
Judge Bob Brendel
J.D. ’94
Atascosa County Court at Law, 2019–Present
Judge Chad Bridges
J.D. ’94
458th District Court in Fort Bend County, 2023–Present
240th District Court, 2015–2018
Justice Jeffrey V. Brown
J.D. ’95
United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, 2019–Present
Supreme Court of Texas, 2013–2019
Sondock Jurist in Residence
Honorable Karen K. Brown
J.D. ’83
United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas Houston Division, 1990–Present
Judge Marc W. Brown
J.D. ’87
Justice, Fourteenth Court of Appeals, Texas, 2013–2018
Judge Robin Brown
J.D. ’81
Harris County Criminal Court at Law, 1995–2018
Chief Justice Darlene Byrne
J.D. ’87
Third Court of Appeals of Texas, 2021–Present
Justice Cory L. Carlyle
J.D. ’05
Fifth District Court of Appeals, 2018–2024
Judge Gary W. Chaney
J.D. ’92
506th Judicial District Court, 2021–Present
Judge Jennifer C. Chiang
J.D. ’09
Sugar Land Municipal Court, 2015–Present
Judge A. Reagan Clark
J.D. ’67
Fort Bend County Court at Law, 1976–1981
268th Judicial District Court, 1981–1988
Visiting Judge, 1990–2000
Fort Bend County Drug Court, 2005–2007
Senior District Judge, 2007–Present
Chief Justice Dori Contreras
J.D. ’90
13th Court of Appeals, 2002–2024
Judge Adolfo E. Cordova, Jr.
J.D. ’93
Judge of the 197th District Court, 2019–Present
Judge John Coselli
J.D. ’77
Texas District Court Judge, 1999–2009
Judge Gregg Costa
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 2014–2022
Sondock Jurist in Residence
Justice Julie Countiss
J.D. ’02
First Court of Appeals of Texas, 2019–2024
Judge Jason Cox
J.D. ’02
Harris County Probate Court #3, 2018–Present
Judge Lonnie Cox
J.D. ’93
56th District Court, Galveston, 2005–Present
Judge Marcia A. Crone
J.D. ’78
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, 2003–Present
Judge Richard D. Davis
J.D. ’73
294th Judicial District Court, 1981–1988
Judge Lee Dever
J.D. ’75
Third District Court, Salt Lake County, State of Utah, 1994–2014
Judge Joginder S. Dhillon
LL.M ’99
California Superior Court, Sacramento County, 2019–Present
Judge William F. Downes
J.D. ’74
United States District Court for the District of Wyoming, 1994–2011
Judge Steven M. Duble
J.D. ’89
Harris County Justice of the Peace (Precinct 1, Place 2), 2023–Present
Chief Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, 2007–Present
Sondock Jurist in Residence
Judge Mike Engelhart
J.D. ’95
151st Civil District Court, Harris County, Texas, 2009–2024
Judge Phyllis Randolph Frye
J.D. ’81
Associate Municipal Judge, City of Houston, Texas, 2010–2023
Judge Eileen Marie Gaffney
J.D. ’92
312th District Court District Court, 2012–2018
Judge Esmeralda Peña Garcia
J.D. ’82
Judge, City of Houston Municipal Courts, 1987–2020
Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore
J.D. ’81
United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, 1994–2022
Sondock Jurist in Residence
Associate Judge Tamecia Glover
J.D. ’12
400th Judicial District Court, 2021–Present
Justice W. Scott Golemon
J.D. ’87
Chief Justice
9th District Court of Appeals, 2021–Present
Justice Raul A. Gonzalez
J.D. ’66
Supreme Court of Texas, 1984–1998
Judge Paula Goodhart
J.D. ’93
Harris County Criminal Court at Law #1, 2010–2018
Harris County Criminal Court at Law #2, 2023–Present
Judge Patricia Grady
J.D. ’91
Presiding Judge 212th Judicial District Court, 2014–present
Judge Tracy Booker Gray
J.D. ’05
Kaufman County Court at Law, 2019–Present
Judge Roger L. Gregory
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 2001–Present
Sondock Jurist in Residence
Judge Katrina Griffith
J.D. ’05
Harris County Child Protection Court, 2014–Present
Justice Amparo Guerra
J.D. ’02
First Court of Appeals, Texas, 2021–Present
Judge Judith K. Guthrie
J.D. ’80
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, 1986–2013
Judge Kathleen A. Hamilton
J.D. ’87
359th District Court, Conroe, 2003–Present
Judge George C. Hanks, Jr.
United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, 2015–Present
Sondock Jurist in Residence
Judge Naomi R. Harney
J.D. ’57
Judge of the County Court at Law and 251st District Court for Potter and Randall Counties, 1975–1989
Judge Margaret Stewart Harris
J.D. ’86
Harris County Criminal Court at Law Number Five, 2003–2018
Justice Nathan L. Hecht
Supreme Court of Texas, 1988–2024
Sondock Jurist in Residence
Judge Janet B. Heppard
J.D. ’93
387th State District Court, Fort Bend County, 2021–2024
Judge James Horwitz
J.D. ’78
Harris County Probate Court No. 4, 2019–Present
Judge Clark Huey
J.D. ’85
Associate District Judge for Jackson County, 1995–2021
Judge Marvin Isgur
J.D. ’90
United States Bankruptcy Court, 2004–Present
Judge Erin L. Jackson
J.D. ’07
Associate Judge, City of Arlington Municipal Court, 2015–2023
Associate Judge, City of Kennedale Municipal Court, 2020–Present
Judge Aneeta M. Jamal
J.D. ’83
314th Juvenile District Court, Harris County, Texas, 2003–2019
Justice Terry Jennings
J.D. ’88
Court of Appeals for the First District of Texas, 2001–2018
Justice Kevin D. Jewell
J.D. ’93
Fourteenth Court of Appeals, 2016–Present
Judge Adalberto Jordán
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, 2012–Present
Sondock Jurist in Residence
Judge Michael P. Joyce
J.D. ’88
Johnson County, Kansas District Court, 2012–Present
Judge Robert A. Katzmann
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 1999–2021
Sondock Jurist in Residence
Judge Mary Lou Keel
J.D. ’85
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, 2017–Present
Justice Evelyn Keyes
J.D. ’87
First Court of Appeals, 2002–2020
Judge Steven Kirkland
J.D. ’90
334th District Court, Harris County, Texas, 2017–2020
215th District Court, Harris County, Texas, 2009–2012
Houston Municipal Courts, 2001–2008
Judge James F. Kovach
J.D. ’91
Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 2, 2018–Present
Judge Claudia Laird
J.D. ’00
Presiding Judge, Montgomery County Probate Court Number One (formerly County Court at Law Number Two), 2011–Present
Judge Mark P. Lane
J.D. ’87
United States Magistrate Judge, 2012–Present
Justice Goodwin H. Liu
Associate Justice, California Supreme Court, 2011–Present
Sondock Jurist in Residence
Judge Tristan H. Longino
J.D. ’11
245th District Court, 2019–2022
Judge Jose A. Lopez
J.D. ’91
49th District Court of Webb and Zapata Counties, 2007–Present
Judge Erin Elizabeth Lunceford
J.D. ’88
61st Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas, 2015–2016
Judge Joe Maldonado, Jr.
J.D. ’03
Webb County Associate District Judge, 2024–Present
Judge Kristalee G. Mata
J.D. ’03
Associate Judge, Hidalgo County Probate Court, 2023–Present
Judge Sara Maynard
J.D. ’95
Smith County Court at Law No. 2, 2023–Present
Judge F. Steven McClure
J.D. ’84
Johnson County Court at Law Number Two, 2014–Present
Judge Tyra Jones McCollum
J.D. ’94
Fort Bend County Court at Law No. 2, 2023–Present
Judge Bob McCoy
J.D. ’82
48th District Court, 1995–2003
Second Court of Appeals, 2003–2014
Tarrant County Criminal Court #3, 2014–Present
Judge Susan Heygood McCoy
J.D. ’92
Judge 153rd District Court, 2013–Present
Justice George Miller
J.D. ’51
County Criminal Court at Law #1, 1961–1967
113th Civil District Court, 1967–1978
Fourteenth Court of Appeals, 1978–1982
Judge Gray H. Miller
J.D. ’78
United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, 2006–Present
United States District Judge, 2006–2018
Senior United States District Judge, 2019–Present
Sondock Jurist in Residence
Judge Michelle Moore
J.D. ’06
314th Judicial District Court, 2019–Present
Judge E. Lee Morris
J.D. ’93
United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas, 2018–Present
Judge Gladys Marie Oakley
J.D. ’57
Austin County Court at Law, 1988–2006
Judge Jim Parsons
J.D. ’68
Senior District Judge, Texas 3rd District Court, 1996–2007
Judge Stuti Trehan Patel
J.D. ’96
District Court Associate Judge, Fort Bend County, 2015–Present
Judge Surendran K. Pattel
LL.M. ’10
240th Judicial District Court, 2023–Present
Judge Sandra Peake
J.D. ’82
257th Harris County Family District Court, 2019-Present
Judge Lawrence “Larry” Phillips
J.D. ’90
59th Judicial District Court, 2018–Present
Judge Dennis Powell
J.D. ’82
163rd Judicial District Court, Orange County, 2001–2020; Senior Judge, 2021–Present
Judge Dion Ramos
J.D. ’85
55th Judicial District Court, 2008–2010
Judge Josefina M. Rendón
J.D. ’76
165th District Court, State of Texas, 2009–2012
Justice Veronica Rivas–Molloy
J.D. ’01
First Court of Appeals, 2021–Present
Judge Jenny Rivera
Court of Appeals, State of New York, 2013–Present
Sondock Jurist in Residence
Judge Ronique Bastine Robinson
LL.M. ’96
Stafford Municipal Court, 1999–2021
Judge Lee H. Rosenthal
United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, 1992–Present
Sondock Jurist in Residence
Judge Eleanor L. Ross
J.D. ’94
United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, 2014–Present
Judge Mark J. Rusch
J.D. ’83
401st Judicial District Court, Collin County, 2000–2020
Judge Lupe S. Salinas
J.D. ’72
Harris County’s 351st Criminal District Court, 1989–1996
Judge Nelly Treviño Santos
J.D. ’93
Director and Presiding Judge,
City of Houston Municipal Courts, 2025–Present
Judge Michael H. Schneider
J.D. ’70
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, 2004–2016
Judge Jim Schweitzer
J.D. ’76
Presiding Judge Galveston Municipal Court, 2007–Present
Justice Charles Seymore
J.D. ’83
Fourteenth Court of Appeals, 2001–2012
Judge Michelle M. Slaughter
J.D. ’04
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, 2019–2024
Justice Ruby Kless Sondock
J.D. ’62
Supreme Court of Texas, 1982
Judge Jeff R. Steinhauser
J.D. ’90
155th District Court of Austin and Fayette County, 2011–Present
Judge John B. Stevens, Jr.
J.D. ’79
Jefferson County Criminal District Court, 2007–Present
Chief Judge Jeffery Sutton
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 2003–Present
Sondock Jurist in Residence
Judge Mitch Templeton
J.D. ’91
172nd State District Court, 2019–Present
Judge George C. Thomas
J.D. ’02
Austin Municipal Court, 2014–Present
Judge Sherri K. Tibbe
J.D. ’94
453rd District Court, 2021–Present
Judge Mary Ann Turner
J.D. ’79
County Court at Law No. 4, 2002–Present
Judge Juan F. Vasquez
J.D. ’77
Senior Judge of the United States Tax Court, 1995–Present
The Honorable Fernando M. Villarreal
J.D. ’83
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 5, 1992–2022
Justice Brian K. Walker
J.D. ’03
Second Court of Appeals, 2021–Present
Justice Jim Wallace
J.D. ’57
Supreme Court of Texas, 1981–1988
Judge Mike Wallach
J.D. ’79
Texas Court of Appeals, 2nd District, 2019–Present
Judge Doug Warne
J.D. ’83
311th Judicial District Court, 1999–2010
Judge Judy Warne
J.D. ’83
Judge Laura A. Weiser
J.D. ’85
County Court at Law No. 1, Victoria County, 1990–2013
Judge Holly Williamson
J.D. ’97
Justice of the Peace, Precinct 8, Place 1, Harris County, Texas, 2009–Present
Justice Ken Wise
J.D. ’94
14th Court of Appeals, 2013–Present
Judge Loyd Wright
J.D. ’81
Harris County Probate Court No. 1, 2010–2018
Judge Dan York
J.D. ’10
King County (WA) Superior Court, 2026–Present
Judge Alvin L. Zimmerman
J.D. ’67
State District Judge, 1977–1984
Someone missing from the Judges Wall? Please contact Kristina Van Arsdel at kgvanars@central.uh.edu or use the Judges Wall submission form.
