BACKGROUND


Public Offices Held:
 
  • 1989-Present
 73rd District Court Judge, Bexar County, San Antonio, Texas
  • 1991-Present
 Juvenile Judge Bexar County, San Antonio, Texas
  • 1990-1992
 Elected Local Administrative Judge, Bexar County, San Antonio, Texas
  • 1994-1995
 Elected Local Administrative Judge, Bexar County, San Antonio, Texas
  • 1989-Present
 Juvenile Board Member, Bexar County, San Antonio, Texas
  • 1998-Present
 Juvenile Board Chairman, Bexar County, San Antonio, Texas
  • Elected 1984
 Trustee, San Antonio Independent School District
  • Officer 1986 - 1988
 Trustee, San Antonio Independent School District
 
 
Education:
 
  • 1964-1968
 High School: St. John's Seminary
  • 1972
 St. Mary's University; B.A. with Honors
  • 1975
 St. Mary's School of Law; J.D. with Honors
 
 
Licenses:
 
  • October 1975
 State Bar of Texas
  • October 1978
 Federal Court, Western District of Texas
  • August 1980
 Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • October 1981
 Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
  • May 2005
 United States Supreme Court
 
 
Certification:
 
  • December 1981
 Trial Practice with Texas Board of Legal Specialization
  Recertified: 1986, 1991, 1996, 2000
 
Employment:
 
  • 1975-1980
 Hardberger, Branton & Herrera, Associate
  • 1980-1982
 Hardberger, Branton & Herrera, Associate/Partner
  • 1982-1986
 Watkins, Mireles & Brock, Partner
  • 1986-1989
 Watkins, Mireles, Brock & Barrientos, P.C., Partner
  • 2004
 Visiting Professor, St. Mary's Law School
 
 
Professional Associations & Committees:
 
  • 1975
 State Bar of Texas
  • 1975
 John M. Harlan Society
  • 1985
 San Antonio Trial Lawyers, President
  • 1985 & 1987-89
 San Antonio Bar Association, Director
  • 1985-1986
 Association of Trial Lawyers of America, National Officer
  • 1986-1988
 Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Director
  • Present Member
 Mexican American Bar Association
  • Present Member
 Black Lawyers Association
  • Present Member
 Women's Bar Association
  • Life Member
 Texas Bar Foundation
  • Present Member
 Association of Trial Lawyers of America
  • Present Member
 Family Lawyers Association
  • 1991
 Texas Center for Judiciary , Peer Committee
  • 1990
 Texas Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Funding
  • Past Member
 Texas Bar Association Grievance Committee
  • Past Member
 Pro Bono Law Project, Board of Directors
  • Past Member
 San Antonio Bar Association, Committee on Judicial Selection
  • 1990-Present
 San Antonio Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education Committee
  • 1994-Present
 American Board of Trial Advocates
  • 1996-1997
 Texas Inn's of Court, Present Member and President
  • 1998
 District Courts Committee, San Antonio Bar Association
  • 1999-2003
 Texas Bar Association, Judicial Section Director
  • 1999-Present
 San Antonio Bar Foundation , Trustee
  • 2003
 Judicial Section – Committee on Court Performance
  • 2004
 Judicial Section Representative of the State District Courts
  • 2005
 San Antonio School District Board of Integrity
  • 2005
 Southside Coalition of Catholic Schools
 
 
Community Organizations & Boards:
 
  • 1993
 Democratic Hall of Fame
  • Past Director
 Guadalupe Community Center
  • 1999-Present
 Volunteers in Probation, Chairman
  • Past Director
 Victoria Courts Child Care Center
  • Present Director
 Texas Retired Educators Association
  • Present Member
 San Antonio Hispanic Chamber
  • 1985-1988
 Texas Association of School Boards
  • 1984-1988
 San Antonio Independent School District Committees Single Member District Creation Committee
$45 Million Bond Issue Chairman
Dropout Task Force
Boundary Line Change Committee
Budget Overview & Adult Committee
  • 1991-1994
 Methodist Hospital Board
  • Past
 Bexar County Mediation Center, Past Advisory Board Chairman
  • Past
 Community Guidance Center, Past Board of Directors
  • Past
 Kings Court Housing Foundation, Past Board of Directors
  • Past
 Member National Association of Disability Examiners
  • Past
 Neighborhoods NOW, Past Board of Directors
  • Past
 Pro Bono Law Project, Past Board of Directors
  • Present
 Member Monticello Park Neighborhood Association
  • 1990-Present
 City and County – Crime Task Force
  • 1991-Present
 Greater San Antonio Crime Prevention Commission
  • 1996-Present
 Jefferson Neighborhood Development Corporation
  • 1996-Present
 JJAEP Organization Chairman
  • 1999
 San Antonio Independent School District
Committee on Legal Funding
  • 2000-2003
 Good Samaritan Center Board Member
  • 2000-2002
 Business Crime Council, Board Member
  • 1991-Present
 San Antonio Crime Commission
  • 2001-2003
 San Antonio Commission on Children and Family
  • 2001
 San Antonio City Attorney's Office, Performance
Review Committee
  • 2001-Present
 St. Mary's Law Alumni Association Board Member
  • 2003
 Texas A & M Advisory Council
 
 
Recognitions:
 
  Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities
  • 1984
 San Antonio Trial Lawyers Association
Outstanding Young Lawyer Award
  • 1988-1989
 San Antonio Teachers Council
Friends of Education Award
  • 1984
 American Federation of Teachers
Excellence Award
  • 1987
 National Association of Government Employees
Local Award of Excellence
  • 1987
 Edison Booster Club Award
  • 1988
 Horace Mann Award of Excellence
  • 1988
 San Antonio Independent School District
Award of Appreciation
  • 1989
 San Antonio Independent School District
Champion of Education Award
  • 1989
 Community Crime Prevention Network Appreciation Award
  • 1989
 District 6 Community Award
  • 1989
 Community Guidance Center
Appreciation Certificate
  • 1989
 Business Community for Political Justice
Certificate of Appreciation
  • 1991
 Mark Twain P.T.A. Appreciation Award
  • 1990
 Volunteer in Probation
Certificate of Appreciation
  • 1990
 Bexar County Mediation Center
Certificate of Merit
  • 1991
 Alamo Heights Optimist Distinguished Service Award
  • 1991
 Mexican-American Bar Association
Attorney of the Year
  • 1991
 Democratic League Officeholder of the Year
  • 1991
 Mark Twain P.T.A. Appreciation Award
  • 1992
 Hidalgo de San Antonio de Bejar
  • 1993
 Community Guidance Center President's Award
  • 1993
 Democratic League, Officeholder of the Year
  • 1995
 St. Monica's School Recognition, Converse, Texas
  • 1995
 DARE Program Recognition Award
  • 1996
 Public Citizen of the Year Award, NASW
  • 1997
 Aspiring Youth Program Award
  • 1997
 Kingsborough Middle School Award of Appreciation
  • 1997
 St. Paul's P.T.A. Award
  • 1998
 F.B.I. Recognition Award
  • 1998
 South Metro Democrats Appreciation Award
  • 1999
 Defense Council of San Antonio Appreciation Award
  • 1999
 Juvenile Courts Recognition Award
  • 2000
 Young Lawyers Association Judge of the Year Award
  • 2000
 San Antonio Young Lawyers Award
  • 2000
 Texas Women's Political Caucus – Good Guy Award
  • 2001 & 2004
 San Antonio Bar Association Presidential Award
  • 2003
 Guardians of Justice Awards
  • 2001
 St. Mary's Law School Appreciation Award
  • 2002 & 2004
 Apple Seeds for Literacy Salute
  • 2004
 La Prensa Hispanic Heritage Legal Award
 
 
Seminars & Lectures:
 
      Many lectures and papers delivered to groups of attorneys on numerous legal areas, including:
      the State Bar of Texas, A.T.L.A., S.A.T.L.A., and San Antonio Bar Association.

  • 1989
 Jury Monitoring Court Rules – Author
  • 1994
 Faculty of Advanced Civil Trial Practice Institute, State Bar of Texas
  • 1994
 Abuse & Neglect Court Rules – Author
  • 1995
 Director of Advanced Trial Seminar for the State Bar of Texas
  • 1996
 Juvenile Court Rules – Author
  • 1998
 Juvenile Symposium, Chair
  • 1999
 Anatomy of a Civil Trial – Author, 1995-Present
  • 2000
 Wellness Seminar – San Antonio Bar Association
  • 2000
 Bench Bar Conference Jury Views – San Antonio Bar Association
  • 2000
 The People's Law School – Grandparent Access – San Antonio Bar Association
  • 2001
 Anatomy of a Civil Trial, San Antonio Bar Association
  • 2001
 Advanced Civil Trial, Texas Bar Association
  • 2001
 Crimes Against Children Seminar
  • 2001
 Medical Malpractice Conference, St. Mary's Law School
  • 2002
 Anatomy of a Civil Trial VI, San Antonio Bar Association
  • 2003
 Advanced Evidence and Discovery, Boot Camp
Texas Bar Association
  • 2003
 Anatomy of a Civil Trial VII, Course Director
San Antonio Bar Association
  • 2004
 Anatomy of a Civil Trial VIII, Course Director
San Antonio Bar Association
  • 2004
 Texas A & M Kingsville Commencement Speaker
  • 2005
 Anatomy of a Civil Trial, Speaker
San Antonio Bar Association