Texas Border Business
By DAVID A. DÍAZ
Judge Ysmael Fonseca, the presiding judge of the Hidalgo County 464th District Court, on Wednesday, November 6, 2019, officially announced that he will be seeking election to keep his seat during the Hidalgo County Republican Party primary in March 2020.
If he secures the GOP nomination, he would be on the ballot in Hidalgo County during the November 2020 general election.
In declaring his intention to seek election – filing for the March 2020 party primary election takes place from Saturday, November 9, 2019 through Monday, December 9, 2019 – Fonseca said it has been one of his greatest privileges serving the people of Hidalgo County.
“I believe I am best suited to continue administering justice in the 464th District Court” said Fonseca. “It is time for the people of Hidalgo County to have a judge that has no connection with the political establishment. As a genuine outsider, I am beholden to no one and can serve justice without regard to the status of those that appear before me.”
District courts have original jurisdiction in felony criminal cases, divorce cases, cases involving title to land, election contest cases, civil matters in which the amount of money or damages involved is $200 or more, and any matters in which jurisdiction is not placed in another trial court. While most district courts try both criminal and civil cases, in the more densely populated counties the courts may specialize in civil, criminal, juvenile, or family law matters.
In trial courts, witnesses are heard, testimony is received, exhibits are offered into evidence, and a verdict is rendered. The trial court structure in Texas has several different levels, each level handling different types of cases, with some overlap.
Prior to his appointment to the bench by Abbott, Fonseca was a Senior Associate at Guerra, Leeds, Sabo & Hernandez, P.L.L.C., which is an AV rated firm that serves the Rio Grande Valley and all of South Texas with fully staffed offices in both Brownsville and McAllen.
According to Martindale-Hubbell, ‘an AV certification mark is a significant rating accomplishment — a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence.
“It is in the equal application of the law that justice is truly preserved in our democracy. It is also in the speedy resolution of litigation that we can ensure the people of Hidalgo County can find peace knowing that their courts will work diligently to resolve their cases,” Fonseca said. “As Judge of the 464th District Court I have helped make the judiciary more efficient by disposing of dozens of cases and encouraging lawyers to either resolve disputes quickly or bring them to a final trial for a speedy conclusion.
“Cases don’t linger without end in sight when they are in the 464th District Court,” he continued. “This is important for the people of Hidalgo County, and what I have worked diligently on prioritizing in my tenure as their Judge of the 464th District Court.”
Fonseca said his judicial priorities include ensuring all cases have frequent settings and that lawyers report continuously to the court with the status of their cases to ensure that they are working to bring a conclusion to litigation without undue delays.
“I have made sure cases are addressed promptly and that parties have easy access to the court to resolve any issues that may arise,” he said. “I have made accessibility and prompt attention to disputes two of my top priorities on the bench.”
A biographical sketch of Fonseca, provided by Martindale-Hubbell, includes the following information:
Fonseca, a native of South Texas, graduated with honors from the University of Notre Dame in 2003 with a B.A. degree in Political Science and Spanish Literature. He returned to Notre Dame to study law, receiving his J.D. degree with honors from Notre Dame Law School in 2009.
Upon graduation in 2003 and before attending law school, Fonseca served as a Paralegal Specialist of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. assisting in the prosecution of civil rights cases, with a particular focus on the prosecution of human trafficking offenses.
He continued in public service while in law school through his work with the United States Attorney’s Office in McAllen after his first year and with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in the Judiciary Committee of the United States Senate after his second year.
During his law school years, Fonseca served in the Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy as note editor, and had the privilege of having his student note, The Catholic Church’s Obligation to Servethe Stranger in Defiance of State Immigration Laws, published by the Journal in the Spring of 2009.
Fonseca was also a student-lawyer for the Notre Dame Legal Aid Clinic, representing indigent clients in small estate, guardianship, and other probate matters. While at Notre Dame Law School, he was also selected by his peers to serve as Vice President of the Hispanic Law Students Association and as Assistant Chaplain of the St. Thomas More Society.
Before joining Guerra, Leeds, Sabo & Hernandez, P.L.L.C., Fonseca was a judicial law clerk for Judge Randy Crane of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. While at the U.S. District Court, Fonseca provided the Court with research, assisted in the drafting of memorandums and opinions, monitored jury trials, and helped in the management of the Court’s docket.
Fonseca’s practice dealt with all aspects of civil defense
