Chief Justice Bonnie Sudderth, began her judicial career at age 30, the youngest judge ever appointed as Chief Judge of the Fort Worth Municipal Courts. Six years later, in 1996, she ran in a contested Republican primary for election to the 352nd District Court bench, winning the seat for a term commencing on January 1, 1997.
Because the bench was vacant at the time of her primary election, Governor George W. Bush appointed her to fill the vacancy for the remainder of 1996. She was re-elected four times to the district court bench, and served into her fifth term in office. On January 7, 2015, Texas Governor Rick Perry appointed Justice Sudderth to the Second Court of Appeals, Fort Worth, Texas. For almost three years, she sat as an Associate Judge of that court (place 4), until she was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to serve as chief of the court.
All combined, Chief Justice Sudderth brings more than 30 years of judicial experience to the bench. Chief Justice Sudderth is also Board Certified in both Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She has won numerous awards, including the Excellence in Justice Award and outstanding Adjunct Faculty Member Award from Texas Wesleyan School of Law and the Outstanding Mentor Award from both the Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association and the Texas Young Lawyers Association.
In 2000, she was elected President of the American Judges Association, and from 2010-2011 she served as President of the Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court. Chief Justice Sudderth has also served on the Pattern Jury Charge Committee of the State Bar. In 2010, her peers – the district judges of Tarrant County – elected her to serve as the Chair of the Tarrant County Juvenile Board.
On the bench, Chief Justice Sudderth is generally known for three qualities – a gentle and patient temperament, a common-sense approach to problem solving and a solid understanding of the law, evidence and procedure. Chief Justice Sudderth is also well-known for her high ethical standards and her expectation that lawyers who appear before her exhibit the highest standards of ethics and professionalism. In the 1990s, Chief Justice Sudderth served as a Commissioner on the state Judicial Conduct Commission, which is the disciplinary agency for all judges throughout Texas. She is a frequent lecturer on legal and judicial ethics and other topics related to the practice of law.
Chief Justice Sudderth is the only sitting judge in Texas who has also served as Texas’s highest statewide official. Pursuant to Section 401.023(a)(3) of the Texas Government Code, on July 5 and 6, 2019, Chief Justice Sudderth served as Governor of the State of Texas.
Political advertisement paid for by Chief Justice Bonnie Sudderth Campaign in compliance with the voluntary limits of the Judicial Fairness Act. Not paid for at taxpayer expense.