Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo Gonzalez
EDINBURG, Texas — Chief Justice Dori Contreras of the 13th Court of Appeals has announced that she will not seek re-election to another term. First elected to the court in 2002 and later as Chief Justice in 2018, Contreras has been a member of the Texas judiciary for over two decades. Her term as Chief expires at the end of 2024.
Contreras’s tenure has been marked by significant challenges, such as staff adjustments due to budget constraints and the disruptive events brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The court also had to navigate a ransomware attack that affected the statewide appellate court system. Chief Justice Contreras says the court remained “productive and efficient despite these hurdles.”
Contreras has served as Chair of the Council of Chief Justices, a body comprised of the fourteen Chief Justices of Texas’s appeals courts. In this role, she was a spokesperson for all fourteen courts and actively worked to secure more funding for the courts of appeals during legislative sessions. “All fourteen courts have been operating on shoestring budgets for many years, so our priority was obtaining more funding,” she said. Thanks to these efforts, the courts will receive additional funding for the current biennium starting September 1.
Not content with statewide influence, Contreras is on track to become the first Latina president of the Council of Chief Judges board for the State Courts of Appeal. She believes that “involvement at the state and national level is important for the court,” adding that her interactions with colleagues at these levels have enabled her to operate her court as effectively as possible.
As she approaches her 22nd year of service and her 66th birthday, Contreras has decided not to seek re-election, but it is clear that she is not “retiring.” She plans to establish a mediation practice and may serve as a visiting judge. Additionally, she hopes to teach at a university or law school and spend more time with her family. “The sky will be the limit in this next chapter of my life,” she proclaimed.
Her departure will be “bittersweet,” but she leaves a legacy of effective governance, resourcefulness in adversity, and groundbreaking roles as a Latina in state and national judiciary circles.
Chief Justice Contreras expressed her gratitude to her supporters, saying, “It is with great pride and comfort that I will leave knowing I made a positive impact on the court and the community.” She believes her successor will inherit a court that stands out for its “efficient performance, sound jurisprudence, and a balanced budget,” thanks to her long-standing efforts.
With her exit, Texas will lose one of its most experienced and impactful judicial leaders, but the legacy of Chief Justice Dori Contreras will undoubtedly continue to influence the state’s judiciary for years.
