United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas

United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
(S.D. Tex.)
Location:	Houston, Texas
Appeals to:	Fifth Circuit
Established:	March 11, 1902
Judges assigned:	19
Chief Judge:	Lee H. Rosenthal
http://www.txs.uscourts.gov/

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (in case citations, S.D. Tex.) is the Federal district court with jurisdiction over the southern part of Texas. The court's headquarters is in Houston, Texas and has six additional offices in the district.

Appeals from cases brought in the Southern District of Texas are taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appealed to the Federal Circuit).

The current United States Attorney is Kenneth Magidson.^[1] On February 12, 2014 Gary Blankinship^[2] was confirmed to be the United States Marshal.

History

The oldest federal civil building in Texas, the 1861 Customs and Courthouse in Galveston, once housed the Southern District of Texas.

Federal Courthouse in Galveston that housed the court & its predecessor, from 1891–1917^[3]

Since its foundation, the Southern District of Texas has been served by forty-one District Judges and six Clerks of Court. The first federal judge in Texas was John C. Watrous, who was appointed on May 26, 1846, and had previously served as Attorney General of the Republic of Texas. He was assigned to hold court in Galveston, at the time, the largest city in the state. As seat of the Texas Judicial District, the Galveston court had jurisdiction over the whole state.^[4] On February 21, 1857, the state was divided into two districts, Eastern and Western, with Judge Watrous continuing in the Eastern district.^[5] Judge Watrous and Judge Thomas H. DuVal, of the Western District of Texas, left the state on the secession of Texas from the Union, the only two United States Judges not to resign their posts in states that seceded. When Texas was restored to the Union, Watrous and DuVal resumed their duties and served until 1870. Judge Amos Morrill served in the Eastern District of Texas from 1872 to 1884. He was succeeded by Chauncy B. Sabin (1884 to 1890) and David E. Bryant (1890 to 1902). In 1902, when the Southern District was created by Act of Congress, Judge Bryant continued to serve in the Eastern District of Texas.

In 1917 the General Services Administration added courtrooms and judicial offices to the second floor of the 1861 U.S. Customs House in Galveston, and it became the new federal courthouse for the Southern District of Texas. This location would later become the seat of the Galveston Division, after congress added a second judgeship in the 1930s.^[5][6][7]

The Southern District of Texas started with one judge, Waller T. Burns, and a Clerk of Court, Christopher Dart, seated in Galveston. Since that time, the court has grown to nineteen district judgeships, six bankruptcy judgeships, fourteen magistrate judgeships, and over 200 deputy clerks.

Galveston Division

The U.S. federal building in Galveston, current home of the Galveston Division.

In 2007 criminal charges were filed against Judge Samuel B. Kent, the only District judge in the Galveston Division, who sat at the Federal Courthouse in Galveston, the oldest federal judgeship in the state.^[8] Due to the litigation, Chief Judge Hayden Head transferred Kent and his staff to the Houston Division.^[8][9] Judge Kent subsequently pleaded guilty, in February 2009, to obstruction of justice and, after being impeached by the House of Representatives, resigned in June 2009.^[10] The next month, it was announced that Judge Kent's post would remain vacant for the time being, and a replacement judge would be assigned to McAllen, due to the increase in cases in the Texas border area concerning subjects such as drugs and immigration.^[11]

Laredo Division

The U.S. Courthouse is the current home of the Laredo Division.

Laredo, Texas, is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande River and is unique in its ability to operate international bridges between two Mexican states. The city presently maintains four border crossings and one rail bridge with the Mexican State of Tamaulipas at Nuevo Laredo and the Mexican State of Nuevo León at Colombia. Webb County also borders the State of Nuevo Leon and the State of Coahuila, Mexico, northwest of Laredo. Laredo is the largest inland port along the U.S.-Mexico border and the Pan American Highway leading into Mexico through Laredo stretches from Canada and continues into Central and South America. Because of its location and accessibility to Mexico, Laredo’s economy is primarily based on international trade with Mexico. According to the Laredo Development Foundation, more than 700 of the Fortune 1,000 companies do international busines/s via Laredo and more than 9,000 trucks cross through town per day along with 1,800 loaded rail cars. Laredo is ranked first in growth in Texas and seventh in the country by the Milken Institute.^[12]

The division encompasses five counties with the federal courthouse located in Laredo, Texas. There are three Laredo district court judges - Judge George P. Kazen, who has taken Senior Status but continues to carry a full docket, and Judges Diana Saldaña and Marina Garcia Marmolejo, who presided over more than 2,000 felony cases in 2013 - most of which involved charges of narcotics trafficking and alien smuggling. In addition, there are three federal magistrates who alternate duties every two weeks. Additionally, the federal grand jury convenes every other week where AUSAs rotate the responsibility of presenting felony cases.^[12]

If Laredo was its own district, it would rank ahead of 88 of the 94 Districts within the United States.^[12]

Jurisdiction

Bob Casey Federal Courthouse in Downtown Houston

The jurisdiction of the Southern District of Texas is divided as follows:

• The Brownsville Division covers Cameron and Willacy Counties.
• The Corpus Christi Division covers Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Duval, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, Nueces, and San Patricio Counties.
• The Galveston Division covers Brazoria, Chambers, Galveston, and Matagorda Counties.
• The Houston Division covers Austin, Brazos, Colorado, Fayette, Fort Bend, Grimes, Harris, Madison, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Walker, Waller, and Wharton Counties.
• The Laredo Division covers Jim Hogg, La Salle, McMullen, Webb, and Zapata Counties.
• The McAllen Division covers Hidalgo and Starr Counties.
• The Victoria Division covers Calhoun, DeWitt, Goliad, Jackson, Lavaca, Refugio, and Victoria Counties.

Current judges

#	Title	Judge	Duty station	Born	Term of service			Appointed by
					Active	Chief	Senior
34	Chief Judge	Lee H. Rosenthal	Houston	1952	1992–present	2016–present	—	G.H.W. Bush
25	District Judge	Ricardo Hinojosa	McAllen	1950	1983–present	2009–2016	—	Reagan
26	District Judge	Lynn Nettleton Hughes	Houston	1941	1985–present	—	—	Reagan
29	District Judge	Sim Lake	Houston	1944	1988–present	—	—	Reagan
30	District Judge	Melinda Harmon	Houston	1946	1989–present	—	—	G.H.W. Bush
36	District Judge	Vanessa Gilmore	Houston	1956	1994–present	—	—	Clinton
39	District Judge	Keith P. Ellison	Houston	1950	1999–present	—	—	Clinton
40	District Judge	Randy Crane	McAllen	1965	2002–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
41	District Judge	Andrew S. Hanen	Brownsville	1953	2002–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
42	District Judge	Micaela Alvarez	McAllen	1958	2004–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
43	District Judge	Gray Hampton Miller	Houston	1948	2006–present	—	—	G.W. Bush
44	District Judge	Diana Saldaña	Laredo	1971	2011–present	—	—	Obama
45	District Judge	Nelva Gonzales Ramos	Corpus Christi	1965	2011–present	—	—	Obama
46	District Judge	Marina Marmolejo	Laredo	1971	2011–present	—	—	Obama
48	District Judge	Alfred H. Bennett	Houston/Galveston	1965	2015–present	—	—	Obama
49	District Judge	George C. Hanks, Jr.	Galveston/Victoria	1964	2015–present	—	—	Obama
50	District Judge	Jose Rolando Olvera, Jr.	Brownsville	1963	2015–present	—	—	Obama
51	District Judge	vacant	—	—	—	—	—	—
52	District Judge	vacant	—	—	—	—	—	—
12	Senior Judge	Carl Olaf Bue Jr.	inactive	1922	1970–1987	—	1987–present	Nixon
20	Senior Judge	George P. Kazen	Laredo	1940	1979–2009	1996–2003	2009–present	Carter
24	Senior Judge	Hayden Wilson Head, Jr.	Corpus Christi	1944	1981–2009	2003–2009	2009–present	Reagan
27	Senior Judge	David Hittner	Houston	1939	1986–2004	—	2004–present	Reagan
28	Senior Judge	Kenneth M. Hoyt	Houston/Galveston	1948	1988–2013	—	2013–present	Reagan
31	Senior Judge	John David Rainey	Victoria	1945	1990–2010	—	2010–present	G.H.W. Bush
33	Senior Judge	Ewing Werlein, Jr.	Houston	1936	1992–2006	—	2006–present	G.H.W. Bush
35	Senior Judge	Janis Graham Jack	Corpus Christi	1946	1994–2011	—	2011–present	Clinton
37	Senior Judge	Nancy Friedman Atlas	Houston	1949	1995–2014	—	2014–present	Clinton
38	Senior Judge	Hilda G. Tagle	Brownsville	1946	1998–2012	—	2012–present	Clinton

Vacancies and pending nominations

Seat	Seat last held by	Vacancy reason	Date of vacancy	Nominee	Date of nomination
16	Janis Graham Jack	senior status	June 1, 2011	—	—
13	Gregg Costa	Elevation to Fifth Circuit	May 20, 2014	—	—

Former judges

#	Judge	State	Born–died	Active service	Chief Judge	Senior status	Appointed by	Reason for termination
1	Burns, Waller ThomasWaller Thomas Burns	TX	1858–1917	1902–1917	—	—	Roosevelt, T.T. Roosevelt	death
2	Hutcheson, Jr., Joseph ChappellJoseph Chappell Hutcheson, Jr.	TX	1879–1973	1918–1931	—	—	Wilson, Wilson	reappointment
3	Kennerly, Thomas MartinThomas Martin Kennerly	TX	1874–1962	1931–1954	—	1954–1962	Hoover, Hoover	death
4	Allred, JamesJames Allred	TX	1899–1959	1939–1942 1949–1959	—	—	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt Truman, Truman	resignation death
5	Hannay, Allen BurroughsAllen Burroughs Hannay	TX	1892–1983	1942–1975	1954–1962	1975–1983	Roosevelt, F.F. Roosevelt	death
6	Connally, Ben ClarksonBen Clarkson Connally	TX	1909–1975	1949–1974	1962–1974	1974–1975	Truman, Truman	death
7	Ingraham, Joe McDonaldJoe McDonald Ingraham	TX	1903–1990	1954–1969	—	—	Eisenhower, Eisenhower	reappointment
8	Garza, Reynaldo GuerraReynaldo Guerra Garza	TX	1915–2004	1961–1979	1974–1979	—	Kennedy, Kennedy	reappointment
9	Noel, Jr., James LataneJames Latane Noel, Jr.	TX	1909–1997	1961–1976[Note 1]	—	1976–1997	Kennedy, Kennedy	death
10	Singleton, Jr., John VirgilJohn Virgil Singleton, Jr.	TX	1918–2015	1966–1988	1979–1988	1988–1992	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	retirement
11	Seals, Woodrow BradleyWoodrow Bradley Seals	TX	1917–1990	1966–1982	—	1982–1990	Johnson, L.L. Johnson	death
13	Cox, Owen DeVolOwen DeVol Cox	TX	1910–1990	1970–1981	—	1981–1990	Nixon, Nixon	death
14	O'Conor, Jr., Robert J.Robert J. O'Conor, Jr.	TX	1934–present	1975–1984	—	—	Ford, Ford	resignation
15	Sterling, Ross N.Ross N. Sterling	TX	1931–1988	1976–1988	—	—	Ford, Ford	death
16	Cowan, Finis E.Finis E. Cowan	TX	1929–present	1977–1979	—	—	Carter, Carter	resignation
17	Cire, George EdwardGeorge Edward Cire	TX	1922–1985	1979–1985	—	—	Carter, Carter	death
18	DeAnda, JamesJames DeAnda	TX	1925–2006	1979–1992	1988–1992	—	Carter, Carter	retirement
19	Black, Norman WilliamNorman William Black	TX	1931–1997	1979–1996	1992–1996	1996–1997	Carter, Carter	death
21	McDonald, Gabrielle KirkGabrielle Kirk McDonald	TX	1942–present	1979–1988	—	—	Carter, Carter	resignation
22	Gibson, HughHugh Gibson	TX	1918–1998	1979–1989	—	1989–1998	Carter, Carter	death
23	Vela, Filemon BartolomeFilemon Bartolome Vela	TX	1935–2004	1980–2000	—	2000–2004	Carter, Carter	death
32	Kent, Samuel B.Samuel B. Kent	TX	1949–present	1990–2009	—	—	Bush, G.H.W.G.H.W. Bush	resignation[Note 2]
47	Costa, GreggGregg Costa	TX	1972–present	2012–2014	—	—	Obama	reappointment

1. Recess appointment; formally nominated on January 15, 1962, confirmed by the United States Senate on March 16, 1962, and received commission on March 17, 1962.
2. Resigned June 30, 2009 after being impeached.

Succession of seats

Seat 1 Seat established on March 11, 1902 by 32 Stat. 64 Burns 1902–1917 Hutcheson, Jr. 1918–1931 Kennerly 1931–1954 Ingraham 1954–1969 Bue, Jr. 1970–1987 Hoyt 1988–2013 Bennett 2015–present

Seat 2 Seat established on May 31, 1938 by 52 Stat. 584 Allred 1939–1942 Hannay 1942–1975 Sterling 1976–1988 Lake III 1988–present

Seat 3 Seat established on August 3, 1949 by 63 Stat. 493 Allred 1949–1959 Garza 1961–1979 Vela 1980–2000 Hanen 2002–present

Seat 4 Seat established on August 3, 1949 by 63 Stat. 493 (temporary) Seat made permanent on February 10, 1954 by 68 Stat. 8 Connally 1949–1974 O'Conor, Jr. 1975–1984 Hughes 1985–present

Seat 5 Seat established on May 19, 1961 by 75 Stat. 80 Noel, Jr. 1962–1976 Cowan 1977–1979 Gibson 1979–1989 Kent 1990–2009 Marmolejo 2011–present

Seat 6 Seat established on March 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Singleton, Jr. 1966–1988 Harmon 1989–present

Seat 7 Seat established on March 18, 1966 by 80 Stat. 75 Seals 1966–1982 Hinojosa 1983–present

Seat 8 Seat established on June 2, 1970 by 84 Stat. 294 Cox 1970–1981 Head, Jr. 1981–2009 Ramos 2011–present

Seat 9 Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 Cire 1979–1985 Hittner 1986–2004 Alvarez 2004–present

Seat 10 Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 DeAnda 1979–1992 Atlas 1995–2014 Hanks, Jr. 2015–present

Seat 11 Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 Black 1979–1996 Ellison 1999–present

Seat 12 Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 Kazen 1979–2009 Saldana 2011–present

Seat 13 Seat established on October 20, 1978 by 92 Stat. 1629 McDonald 1979–1988 Rainey 1990–2010 Costa 2012–2014 vacant 2014–present

Seat 14 Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 Werlein, Jr. 1992–2006 Miller 2006–present

Seat 15 Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 Rosenthal 1992–present

Seat 16 Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 Jack 1994–2011 vacant 2011–present

Seat 17 Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 Gilmore 1994–present

Seat 18 Seat established on December 1, 1990 by 104 Stat. 5089 Tagle 1998–2012 Olvera, Jr. 2015–present

Seat 19 Seat established on December 21, 2000 by 114 Stat. 2762 Crane 2002–present

See also

• Courts of Texas
• List of United States federal courthouses in Texas

Notes

1. "Office of the United States Attorneys". Executive Office for United States Attorneys. United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
2. "Gary L. Blankinship to be United States Marshal, Southern District of Texas". Executive Office for U.S. Marhshals Service. United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
3. National Park Service Archaeological Field Inspection
4. U.S. Department of Justice: 2002 Centennial Report, pgs. 1, 10
5. Southern District of Texas: History of the District
6. General Services Administration: U.S. Custom House, Galveston, Texas
7. Galveston Historical Foundation: More About the Custom House
8. Paschenko, Chris (2012-04-27). "Senate confirms Costa for isle federal judgeship". Galveston County Daily News. Retrieved 2012-04-27.
9. http://www.txs.uscourts.gov/district/genord/2007/2007-17.pdf Southern District of Texas General Order 2007–17
10. Flood, Marry (2009-02-23). "Judge Kent accepts plea deal and retires from bench". Retrieved 2009-02-23.
11. Rice, Harvey (2009-07-09). "Kent's judgeship in Galveston moving to McAllen". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-07-22. The Galveston federal courthouse where disgraced former U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent presided for 18 years will remain vacant and his replacement moved to McAllen, the chief judge of the Southern District said Thursday. [...] The decision to move the post from Galveston to McAllen was made because few cases are heard in Galveston while immigration and drug cases are swamping judges in courts near the border, Chief Judge Hayden Head said.(Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/5iS6Y7PYp)
12. "Laredo". United States Department of Justice. Retrieved 11 October 2016.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

External links

• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas