CIVILITY. PROFESSIONALISM. RESPECT.
As judge of the 11th District Court, I believe that civility, professionalism, and respect are fundamental values that should be upheld in the legal profession. Growing up, I learned these values from my immigrant mother and fourth-generation Texan father. These values guide my actions on the bench, and I encourage all those who appear before me to adhere to them as well.
After attending Alief Hastings High School, I graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and then graduated magna cum laude from South Texas College of Law. Before my election to the bench, I gained extensive experience in civil litigation, including cases related to medical malpractice, premises liability, wrongful death, mass tort, construction, property tax, and Social Security disability.
I am proud to have been elected as judge of the 11th District Court in 2016 and re-elected in 2020. I am double board certified in Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. In 2021, I was honored as the Tex-ABOTA Jurist of the Year, and I have been appointed to serve as a judge for two complex MDL lawsuits. Additionally, I have had the privilege to share my family’s immigration story during a naturalization ceremony presided over by the Honorable Alfred Bennett.
I am committed to serving the community through my role as a judge and my involvement with various professional and community organizations. I have chaired committees for the Harris County Board of District Judges, including the Jury Committee and COVID Response Task Force. I am also active in the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association, and the Association of Women Attorneys. Additionally, I am a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation, the Houston Bar Foundation, and the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation.
Finally, I am a member of the Texas Lyceum, an organization devoted to promoting civility and civil discourse. These values are at the core of my personal and professional beliefs, and I strive to uphold them every day.
-Judge Hawkins