District Judge Duties

Responsibilities & Services

Besides overseeing all of the District Court, District Judges have additional duties required by Texas law, such as:

• Adopting a county indigent defense plan to provide for adequate representation by counsel of indigent citizens accused of adult and juvenile crimes
• Adopting local rules of practice in Brazos County to provide for the effective and efficient disposition of all cases filed in the county
• Appointing the Director of the Brazos County Community Supervision Department and adopting the annual budget for the department
• Determining probable cause and issuance of search and arrest warrants involving crimes occurring in Brazos County
• Performing wedding ceremonies and determining requests to waive the 72-hour waiting period between issuance of a marriage license and performance of the wedding ceremony
• Serving as members of the Brazos County Juvenile Board, which is responsible for providing juvenile services in the county
• Serving on the Brazos County Bail Bond Board, which is responsible for licensing of bondsmen in the county and resolving complaints against them
• Serving on the Brazos County Community Justice Council, which is responsible for providing a community justice plan for the county
• Trying and determining any cases in other counties within the State of Texas when assigned by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas or the Presiding Judge of Second Administrative Region

Become a District Judge

To become a District Judge in Brazos County, you must be a US citizen, be at least 25 years of age, but not older than 74, be a resident of Brazos County for at least two years and have been a lawyer for at least four years.

District Judges in Brazos County are elected in county-wide partisan elections to four-year terms of office. Vacancies that occur in the office of District Judge are filled by appointment of the Governor of Texas, subject to confirmation by the Texas Senate.