Texas Border Business
AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott has named William “Bill” Gravell, Jr. and Emily Miskel to the Indigent Defense Commission Governing Board as ex-officio members. The Commission provides financial and technical support to counties to develop and maintain quality and cost-effective indigent defense systems.
William “Bill” Gravell, Jr. of Georgetown is the Williamson County Judge. Previously, he served as Justice of the Peace for Williamson County and prior to that spent 22 years as pastor of Sonterra Fellowship in Jarrell. He continues to serve as a volunteer in various capacities for Celebration Church. Gravell received a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the University of Mary-Hardin Baylor.
Emily Miskel of McKinney is a justice on the Fifth Court of Appeals. Previously, she served as judge of the 470th Judicial District Court in Collin County. She is chair of the Civil Justice Committee of the Texas Judicial Council and member of the State Bar of Texas (SBOT), the Federalist Society, Collin County Bar Association, Dallas Bar Association, Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, and the Supreme Court Advisory Committee. Miskel is also a trustee of the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society, life fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, fellow of the Texas Bar College, director for the National Center for State Courts, and a master for the Henderson American Inn of Court. She is a former member of the SBOT Computer & Technology Section, Texas Supreme Court Remote Proceedings Task Force, and the Texas Supreme Court Judicial Administration Specialization Task Force, former vice chair of the SBOT Pattern Jury Charge Oversight Committee. Additionally, she is a member of the Junior League of Collin County Community Advisory Panel, former member of the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County Gala Committee, former vice president and secretary of the Harvard Club of Dallas, and former board member of the Stanford Club of Dallas/Fort Worth. Miskel received a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.
