"Just a Thought" Column continues in La Prensa of SA, 8-10

Just a Thought: Female Hispanic Judges
By Steve Walker

While taking photos of last week’s election by City Council of Ivy Taylor, the first African-American female as Mayor of San Antonio, I got to thinking about the number of well qualified women in San Antonio who hold elected office, especially Hispanic women.

Hispanic women appear to do well in seeking and winning higher office in the Alamo City. I realize we are strong in especially electing a good number of Hispanic female judges ranging from Justice of the Peace to County Court, District Court and the 4^th Court of Appeals covering San Antonio and surrounding areas.

Some years ago we were honored to have elected Alma Lopez as the first Hispanic female to serve as the Chief Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals. Not only was she the first here in San Antonio to get elected to a Chief Justice position on a higher court, but the first in the nation to be elected to a Chief Justice of any court. I have enjoyed taking her photo at various events over the years when she was in office and when she retired.

When we look at the impressive list we see that the next Chief Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals will be a woman, since the two candidates running for the office are both women. One is Angelo and one Hispanic.  Should Irene Rios win the seat she will be only the second Hispanic female Chief Justice to do so on that court. Rios previously served a number of years as a County Court Judge prior to her nomination for that seat.

Currently there are three Hispanic Females on the 4^th Court serving as Justices. It happens that all three were elected to the bench at the same time in the last election cycle. They include Rebeca Martinez in position 7, Patricia Alvarez in position 3 and Luz Elena Chapa in position 4. During Law School, Judge Chapa interned for Chief Justice Alma Lopez when she was on the bench.

I covered their elections for the Walker Report. In Justice Alvarez’s case I enjoyed visiting with her mother who was right by her side during the entire campaign. At times I thought they were joined at the hip.

Going to the district courts Bexar County has 166^th Civil District Court Judge Laura Salinas whose daughter coincidentally was born on September 5^th my birthday. The Judge also served two terms as a County Court Judge.

The 437^th Criminal District Court is held by Lori Valenzuela, whose father, Freddie Valenzuela, is a retired two star Army General and a friend of mine for a number of years.  He always said she would eventually be a judge.

 438^th Civil District Court bench is held by Gloria Saldana who served as a previous District Judge who after a break returned to the bench.

There is also three Hispanic females who sit on County Court benches. In County Court #8 Judge Liza Rodriguez, County Court #10 Tina Torres the daughter of Pete Torres, who served on the City Council as one of the first Hispanics to do so and County Court 13 Monica Gonzalez who served a number of years as a Municipal Judge.

Finally there are two Justices of the Peace benches filled by Hispanic females. JP2 Monica Caballero served a number of terms in Precinct 1 before recently being redistricted to Precinct 2. As a former JP2 Judge I was able to work with Judge Caballero on truancy issues within our courts. Lastly Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace-elect Yolanda Acuna Uresti will be sworn in January 1^st as an unopposed candidate for the bench. As a teacher at McCollum in the 90s, I taught her oldest son Michael.

With the slowly increasing number of highly qualified Hispanic females getting elected as judges, it appears that in San Antonio, justice will prevail.  

As always, I write “Just a Thought.”

Steve Walker is a Vietnam Veteran, former Journalist and Justice of the Peace.