Rudy Delgado
Rudy Delgado (Democrat) was the Place 4 judge of the Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals. In January 2019, Delgado was suspended by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct due to a federal indictment.[1] He left office later that year.
Delgado was the judge of Texas District 93 from 2016 to 2018. He resigned on April 30, 2018, after he was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of federal bribery and violating the federal Travel Act.[2]
Education
Delgado received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and his J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.[3]
Noteworthy events
Federal indictment (2018)
In February 2018, Delgado was indicted on three counts of bribery and three counts of violating the Travel Act. He was charged at a later date with one count of conspiracy and obstruction of justice. The indictment accused Delgado of asking for and accepting bribes in exchange for favorable rulings.[4] Delgado pleaded not guilty to the charges.[5]
Delgado was suspended without pay on March 1, 2018. He resigned from the Texas District 93 court on April 30, 2018.[4] He was elected to the Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals on November 6, 2018. He took the oath of office in January 2019 but was suspended again later that month.[4]
Delgado was convicted of three counts of bribery concerning the Travel Act and three counts of bribery concerning federal programs, one count of conspiracy, and one count of obstruction on July 11, 2019.[6]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals Place 4
Rudy Delgado defeated Jaime Tijerina in the general election for Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals Place 4 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Rudy Delgado (D) | 50.4 | 226,042 | |
 | Jaime Tijerina (R) | 49.6 | 222,794 | |
| Total votes: 448,836 | |||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals Place 4
Rudy Delgado advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals Place 4 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Rudy Delgado | |
| ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals Place 4
Jaime Tijerina advanced from the Republican primary for Texas Thirteenth District Court of Appeals Place 4 on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | | Jaime Tijerina |
| ||||
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2016
Texas held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. A primary election took place on March 1, 2016. A primary runoff election was held on May 24, 2016, for any seat where the top vote recipient did not receive a majority of the primary vote.[7] Incumbent Rudy Delgado ran unopposed in the Texas 93rd District Court Democratic primary.[8]
| Texas 93rd District Court, Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
 Rudy Delgado Incumbent | ||
Rudy Delgado won without opposition in the general election.
Selection method
- See also: Partisan election of judges
The judges of the Texas District Courts are chosen in partisan elections. They serve four-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving.[9]
Though Texas is home to more than 400 district courts, the courts are grouped into nine administrative judicial regions. Each region is overseen by a presiding judge who is appointed by the governor to a four-year term. According to the state courts website, the presiding judge may be a "regular elected or retired district judge, a former judge with at least 12 years of service as a district judge, or a retired appellate judge with judicial experience on a district court."[10]
Qualifications
To serve on the district courts, a judge must be:
- a U.S. citizen;
- a resident of Texas;
- licensed to practice law in the state;
- between the ages of 25 and 75;*[11]
- a practicing lawyer and/or state judge for at least four years; and
- a resident of his or her respective judicial district for at least two years.[9]
*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[9]
2012
Delgado was re-elected without opposition to the 93rd District Court.[12]
- See also: Texas judicial elections, 2012
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ The Monitor, "Jaime Tijerina appointed to new 464th district court," January 29, 2019
- ↑ The Monitor, "UPDATE: District Judge “Rudy” Delgado resigns," April 30, 2018
- ↑ Martindale.com, "Rodolfo Delgado"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Caller Times, "Here's why newly elected Justice Rodolfo 'Rudy' Delgado was suspended from bench again," January 3, 2019
- ↑ Texas Lawyer, "Texas Judge Facing Bribery Charges Wins Trial Transfer From Houston to McAllen," June 11, 2019
- ↑ The United States Department of Justice, "Texas Judge Convicted of Bribery and Obstruction," July 11, 2019
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Texas," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ Texas Courts Online, "Administrative Judicial Regions," accessed September 12, 2014
- ↑ Texas State Historical Association, "Judiciary," accessed September 12, 2014
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2012 General Election Summary" Select "2012 General Election"
Federal courts:
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas
State courts:
Texas Supreme Court • Texas Court of Appeals • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals • Texas District Courts • Texas County Courts • Texas County Courts at Law • Texas Statutory Probate Courts • Texas Justice of the Peace Courts
State resources:
Courts in Texas • Texas judicial elections • Judicial selection in Texas
