SENIOR JUDGE & MEDIATOR

Texas Board of Corrections, 1985-1986

State Bar of Texas:

Author and Lecturer, trial procedure, trial technique, jury trial improvement and evidence including the following:

• SBOT Advanced Personal Injury Courses
• SBOT Advanced Civil Trial Courses
• SBOT Advanced Family Law Courses
• SBOT Personal Injury and Wrongful Death Institute
• SBOT The Use of Experts in Litigation
• SBOT Winning Trail Tactics and Techniques from the Experts Institute
• SBOT Utilizing Experts in Litigation, Performance and Enhancement Course
• SBOT Summer School, Jury Trial Improvement
• Advanced Evidence and Discovery Courses

President of the State Bar of Texas, 1990-1991

• SBOT Board of Directors- 1986 to 1989
• Dedicated year of Presidency of SBOT to The Year of Inclusion
• Recognized by minority bars for advancing minority participation in the SBOT
• Resigned seat as an ABA delegate so that he could appoint (in his place) the first woman, first African-American Texas delegate to the ABA
• Presidential year was also the year of legislative sunset for the Bar; the Bar, by referendum, passed a new grievance system and doubled their dues to finance the reforms 

While Bar President traveled to the Soviet Union and brought judges, lawyers and professors from the Soviet Union and various republics who attended the SBOT Annual Bar Convention, under the title of Rule of Law or Rule of Man, as the Soviet Union was dissolving. 

Judiciary:

Judge, 3rd District Court, 1996 to 2006 

Senior District Judge, 3rd District Court, 2018 to present

Texas Center for the Judiciary, Board Directors 2020 to 2023

Recognitions:

Alumnus of the Year, Bates College of Law, University of Houston

Alumnus of the Year, Lon Morris College

Lawyer of the Year, Mexican-American Bar Association

Citizen of the Year - Palestine, Texas 2018

Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer - State Bar of Texas 2019

Texas Supreme Court Appointee:

• Texas Judicial Council 1997-2001
• Supreme Court Task Force on Jury Assembly and Administration 2006

American Board of Trial Advocates:

• President, TEX-ABOTA   2012
• President, East TEX-ABOTA  2010
• National Board Member   2010 to 2015
• Diplomate, ABOTA

Board Certifications:

Board Certified, Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury, Civil Trial and Family Law, prior to assuming the bench 

Jury Trials:

• Tried over 300 jury trials, off and on the bench