Education
St. Mary's University School Of Law, San Antonio, Texas, J.D. (May 1980)
Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas, B.S., Business Administration (1977)

Profession
Presiding Judge, Seventh Administrative Judicial Region of Texas (April 1998-)
District Judge, 318th Judicial District, Midland County, Texas, February (1988–)
Partner, Rucker & Rucker (January 1982–February 1988)
Associate, Law Offices of H.J. Rucker (November 1980 – January 1982)
 
Courts To Which Admitted To Practice
U.S. Supreme Court (1986)
U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit (1981)
U.S. District Court, Northern District (1981)
U.S. District Court, Western District (1985)
All Texas State Courts (1980)

Professional Organizations
State Bar of Texas
Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Family Law
State Bar of Texas, Judicial Section
State Bar of Texas, Family Law Section
The College of The State Bar of Texas
Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists
Texas Bar Foundation
Midland County Bar Association

Professional Honors
Outstanding Jurist, Texas Chapter, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (2005)
Clayton E. Evans Judge of the Year, Texas CASA (1997)
Distinguished Service Award, Midland County Bar Association (1992)
Professional Activities and Affiliations
Supreme Court Permanent Judicial Commission for Children, Youth and Families (2008-); Jurist in Residence (2013-)
Children's Justice Act Task Force (2011-); Chair (2011-)
Court Improvement Project Task Force on Foster Care, Texas Supreme Court (1999-2008)
Judicial Advisor, Family Law Council, State Bar of Texas (1997-1998; 1999-2007)
Member, Texas Family Law Practice Manual Form Book Committee, Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas (2000-2004; 2005-2007; 2008-)
Chair, Texas Center for the Judiciary, Inc. and Judicial Section, State Bar of Texas (2004-2005)
Director, Judicial Section Board of Directors (2000-2003)
Texas Judicial Council (2001-2005)
Course Director, 25th Annual Marriage Dissolution Institute, TexasBar CLE (2002)
Course Director, 36th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, TexasBar CLE (2010)

 

Professional Presentations
Speaker, Common Evidence Problems in Property Cases, 14th Annual Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (1991)
Speaker, Persuading the Judge, 18th Annual Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (1995)
Speaker, Judge's Jam Session, 21st Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (1995)
Faculty, Tenth Annual Trial Institute, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists (1996)
Faculty, A View From The Bench: Alimony, JMC, Relocation and Other Issues, 22nd Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (1996)
Faculty, Relocation Hearing: A Live Demonstration, 22nd Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (1996)
Speaker, Attorney Ad Litem and Guardian Ad Litem Practice, 22nd Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (1996)
Speaker, Hidden Jewels and Pitfalls in the Standard Possession Order, College of Advanced Judicial Studies, Texas Center for the Judiciary, Inc. (1997)
Speaker, Hidden Jewels and Pitfalls in the Standard Possession Order, 20th Annual Marriage Dissolution Institute, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (1997)
Faculty, Judges Panel on Custody, Visitation, and Child Support, 23rd Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (1997)
Faculty, Presentation of a Custody Case in a Temporary Hearing, 23rd Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (1997)
Faculty, Temporary Hearings, Training for Associate Judges, 24th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (1998)
Faculty, Impact of The New Rules of Discovery For Business, Personal Injury and Family Law Litigators, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (1999)
Faculty, The New Discovery Rules For Family Law Attorneys, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (1999)
Faculty, Contempt/Enforcement, 25th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (1999)
Faculty, Title IV-D Masters’ Seminar, Office of Court Administration (1999)
Faculty, Recovered Memory/False Memory: Valid or Voodoo?, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (1999)
Faculty, Jury Innovations, 26th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (2000)
Faculty, Valuation Problems in the 21st Century, 26th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (2000)
Faculty, Associate Judges Training Program, 26th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas Professional Development Program (2000)
Speaker, Responsibilities of a Regional Administrative Judge, Far West Texas County Judges and Commissioners Annual Conference (2000)
Speaker, The Parental Notification Statute, An Overview, Permian Basin Legal Secretaries Association (2001)
Speaker, Responsibilities of a Regional Administrative Judge, Assigned Judges Seminar, Office of Court Administration (2001)
Speaker, Updates in the Law: Family, 2001 College of Advanced Judicial Studies, Texas Center for the Judiciary, Inc. (2001)
Program Coordinator, Associate Judges/Title IV-D Masters Seminar 2001, 27th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, TexasBar CLE (2001)
Speaker, Convincing the Court to Award Attorneys Fees, 28th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, TexasBar CLE (2002)
Program Coordinator, Associate Judges/Title IV-D Masters Seminar 2002, 28th Annual Advanced Family Law Course, TexasBar CLE (2002)
Faculty, Family Violence Conference, Texas Center for the Judiciary, Inc. (2003)
Faculty, 2003 Judicial Section Annual Conference, Texas Center for the Judiciary, Inc. (2003)
Speaker, Effective Trial Presentation Within Time Limits, 33rd Annual Advanced Family Law Course, TexasBar CLE (2007)
Faculty, College for New Judges, Texas Center for the Judiciary, Inc.
Faculty, Effective and Efficient Trial Presentation, Handling Your First (or Next) Divorce, TexasBar CLE (2012)