Court of Criminal Appeals
Presiding Judge Sharon Keller
Place 1
Sharon Keller is a native Texan. She holds a B.A. degree in philosophy from Rice University and a J.D. degree from Southern Methodist University School of Law. Judge Keller began her legal career in 1978 in the private practice of law in Dallas. Subsequently, she worked for several years for her family’s drive-in restaurant business. She served as an assistant district... Read more
Judge Barbara Hervey
Place 7
Barbara Parker Hervey was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2000. Before her election, Judge Hervey was an Assistant District Attorney for 16 years in the Appellate Section of the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office in San Antonio. She earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro and her Juris Doctor... Read more
Judge Bert Richardson
Place 3
Judge Bert Richardson was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2014, and he began his term on January 1, 2015. He was reelected in 2020. From 1988 to 1999 he was a trial and appellate lawyer while serving as an Assistant District Attorney for Bexar County and as an Assistant U. S. Attorney for the Western District... Read more
Judge Kevin Yeary
Place 4
Judge Kevin Patrick Yeary was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2014. He previously served as law clerk to the late Honorable Judge Bill White at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, during the Court's 1991-1992 term. After his clerkship, he worked as a defense attorney in private practice and then, later, as an Assistant District Attorney... Read more
Judge David Newell
Place 9
Judge David Newell was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on November 4, 2014. The son of Thomas and Linda Newell, David was born at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland, though he grew up in Sugar Land, Texas with his much taller, older brother, Robert Newell. David graduated cum laude from William P. Clements High School. He earned... Read more
Judge Mary Lou Keel
Place 2
Mary Lou Keel was elected to the Court in 2016. From 1995 through 2016 she presided over the 232nd District Court in Harris County, Texas. She also served Harris County as an assistant district attorney at trial and on appeal. She was a briefing attorney for the First Court of Appeals from 1985-86. She has been board certified in Criminal... Read more
Judge Scott Walker
Place 5
Judge Scott Walker was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in November of 2016. Prior to taking the bench, his law practice consisted of criminal litigation, appellate advocacy, civil defense, and veteran's disability. His undergraduate degree is from Dallas Baptist University and his Juris Doctorate is from Baylor School of Law. Judge Walker is a member of the State... Read more
Judge Michelle Slaughter
Place 8
Judge Michelle Slaughter was elected to the Court of Criminal Appeals in 2018. With more than 4.7 million votes, she was the top contested vote-getter in a contested election in Texas for the November 2018 general election. She earned her J.D. cum laude (top 15%) from the University of Houston Law Center. In law school, she interned for two federal... Read more
Judge Jesse F. McClure, III
Place 6
Jesse McClure was appointed to the Court in 2020. From 2019 to 2020 he presided over the 339th District Court in Harris County, Texas. He also served Texas as a special prosecutor for the Texas Department of Insurance for over 7 years, and Tarrant County as an assistant district attorney for nearly 11 years. He earned a BA in Philosophy from... Read more