Education:

Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD), South Texas College of Law 2001

Bachelor of Business Administration in Management (BBA), University of Houston, 1997

Bachelor of Arts in French (BA), University of Houston, 1997

Professional Licenses and Court Admissions:

• Licensed  to Practice Law in Texas, 2001
• Admitted to the United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, 2004
• Accredited Veterans Administration Attorney (No. 19163) 2010 – December 2018

Certifications:

• 2024 - Judicial Executive Leadership Program - Harvard Law School
• 2014 – Certified Mediator – UH Law Center, AA White Dispute Resolution Center
• 2010 – 2018 - Accredited Veterans Administration Attorney (No. 19163)
• 2003 - present: Guardian / Attorney Ad Litem under Texas Estates Code § 1054.201
• 2001 - present: Guardian / Attorney Ad Litem in the Civil District Courts of Harris County, Texas
• 1997 Certificat Pratique de Français Commercial et Économique de la Chambre de Commerce et d'Industrie de Paris (avec la mention bien [with honors]); Paris, France

Judicial / Court Experience:

• Harris County Probate Court 1
  • Presiding  Judge – January 1, 2019, to present
  • Staff Attorney - June 2009 to December 2010
• Assistant State Presiding Judge for the Statutory Probate Courts, 2023-2025
• Houston Municipal Court District
  • Associate Judge – Appointed June 2015 to December 2018

Legal Experience:

• Simoneaux & Watson, P.C., February 2014 – December 2018
  • Probate, Trusts, Guardianship, and Fiduciary Litigation and Appeals
  • Certified Mediator
• Galligan & Manning, January 2011 – January 2014
  • Probate, Trusts, Guardianship, and Fiduciary Litigation and Appeals
  • Estate Planning

• Simoneaux and Frye, PLLC, 2004 – December 2008\
  • Senior Managing Partner
  • Estate Planning, Business formation
  • Probate, Trusts, Guardianship, and Fiduciary Litigation and Appeals

• The Simoneaux Law Firm (solo practice), 2001 – 2004
  • Probate, probate litigation, criminal defense, simple estate planning, landlord-tenant issues, general civil litigation

Teaching Experience:

• South Texas College of Law, 2006 – 2007
  • Adjunct Professor of Law

Appointments:

• Associate Judge
  • Appointed by Mayor Parker and approved by City Council, June 2015.
  • Reappointed by Mayor Turner and approved by City Council, June 2018.
• Director - Harris County Improvement District No. 6, The East Montrose Management District – 2005 to 2008.
  • Legislative appointment - House Bill 3518, 79^th Regular Session, 2005
  • Re-appointed by Mayor Bill White, 2009

Published Cases:

• Ross v. Goldstein, 203 S.W.3d 508, (Tex.App.—Houston [14^th] 2006, no pet.)
• Campbell v. Mabry, 457 S.W.3d 173 (Tex.App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2015, no pet.)
• In Re Guardianship of John D. Burley, 499 S.W.3d. 196 (Tex.App.—Houston [14^th] 2016, pet. denied)

Unpublished Cases:

• In Re Guardianship of Mark Croft, ­­­­­14-15-00911-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [14^th] 2016, no pet.)
• In Re Guardianship of James E Fairley, 04-16-00096-CV (Tex. App.—San Antonio, 2017; pet denied)
• In Re Guardianship Mark Croft II, 14-17-00248-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [14^th] 2017, no pet.)

Cited Cases:

• Ross v. Goldstein, 203 S.W.3d 508 (Tex.App.—Houston [14^th] 2006, no pet.) Cited in O’Connor’s Texas Rules of Civil Trials. Instructive on the use of Special Exceptions and Motions to Strike.
• In Re Guardianship of John D. Burley, 499 S.W.3d. 196 (Tex.App.—Houston [14^th] 2016, pet. denied). Cited in Johanson’s Texas Estates Code Annotated and O’Connor’s Texas Estates Code Plus. Tex. Est. Code § 1155.054 payment of certain attorney’s fees.

Honors and Awards:

• Judge Merrill Hartman Pro Bono Judge - State Bar of Texas, 2022
• Judge John Paul Barnich Justice Award - The GLBT Political Caucus, 2021
• Judge Norman W. Black Award – State Bar of Texas, 2004
• Grand Marshal, Houston Pride Parade – 2004
• Golden Key National Honor Society – Lifetime Member since 1996
• Pi Delta Phi, International French Honor Society - Lifetime Member since 1995

Professional Associations:

• The State Bar of Texas
  • Member of the Judicial Section; the Real Estate, Probate and Trust Section; the Litigation section; and the LGBTQ Law Section.
  • Member of the Legislation Committee of the Judicial Section, 2019-present
  • Chair of the LGBT Law section, 2005-2006
• The Houston Bar Association
  • Director, Houston Volunteer Lawyers, 2020-present
  • Mentor, Houston Volunteer Lawyers, 2004-2018
  • Chair of the AIDS Outreach Committee, 2003-2004
  • Member of the  Probate, Trusts and Estates section
• The Texas Probate Law American Inn of Court
  • Founder and President, 2020 to present
• Texas College of Probate Judges, 2019 to present
• The National College of Probate Judges, 2019 to Present
• The International Association of LGBTQ+ Judges, 2019 to Present
• Attorneys in Tax and Probate, 2011 to present
• Disability and Elder Law Attorneys Association, 2011 to present
• The Stonewall Law Association of Greater Houston
  • President, 2002-2004, 2006
• National Guardianship Association, 2009 to present
• Texas Guardianship Association, 2009 to Present

Community Organizations:

• Dalton DeHart Photographic Foundation – Board of Directors 2015 to present
• Texas Mariners Cruising Association
  • Largest pleasure boating social organization on the Gulf Coast. Trustee, 2018-2019 & 2021; Past Commodore, 2017; Commodore, 2016; Cruise Captain, 2015
• Sailing Angels
  • Sailing Captain for an organization that takes disabled children and wounded warriors for therapeutic sails on Galveston Bay. 2013 – 2018
• Galveston Historic Society, Texas Seaport Museum –Coast Guard Certified Sailing Crew Member for Elissa, the Official Tall Ship of Texas – July 2011 through 2016. Completed 500 hours of volunteer time by 2014.

• Bayou City Performing Arts – Board of Directors, 2008 to 2009
• The Kellett Foundation – Board of Directors and Secretary, 2006 to 2010
• Montrose Counseling Center Permanent Endowment, Inc. – Pro Bono Counsel, 2004 to 2008
• Southeast Texas Legal Clinic – Board of Directors, 2004 to 2006
• Pride Houston, Inc. – Board of Directors, 2005 to 2006
• L'Alliance Française – Member since 1994

Articles and Speeches:

• Co-Presenter – “Unique Traps in Probate Litigation” – Houston Bench Bar Conference, Houston Bar Association, Houston, TX, April 11, 2025
• Panelist – “Probate Judges’ Panel” – Houston Bench Bar Conference, Houston Bar Association, Houston, TX, April 11, 2025
• Co-Presenter – “The Attorney Bad Litem” – Texas Probate Law American Inn of Court, Houston, TX, April 9, 2025
• Speaker / Author – “Guardianship Law Part I” – Texas College of Probate Judges, Austin, TX, March 13, 2025
• Panelist – “Judges’ Panel” – Disability and Elder Law Attorneys Association & Attorneys in Tax and Probate, Houston, TX, February 4, 2025
• Panelist – ““Building Blocks of Wills, Estates, and Probate” – State Bar of Texas, Austin, TX, January 17, 2025
• Speaker – “You Be the Judge” – Fiduciary Litigation, State Bar of Texas CLE, San Antonio, TX, December 4-5, 2024
• Speaker – “Ethics Jeopardy” – University of Texas Elder Law, Estate Planning, & Guardianship, San Antonio, Texas, August 9, 2024.
• Speaker – “Preparing the Charge Conference, and Protecting the Record” – State Bar of Texas CLE – Houston, TX, June 13, 2024
• Speaker – “Less Restrictive Alternatives to Guardianship” – Texas Association of Counties Judicial Academy, Galveston, TX, May 10, 2024
• Speaker – “Current State of the Law” – State Bar of Texas, Handling Your First (or Next) Guardianship, Austin, TX, May 9, 2024
• Speaker – “Judicial Responsibilities in Estates and Guardianships – Texas Association of Counties Judicial Academy, Galveston, TX 2024, May 8, 2024
• Speaker – “Sudden Cessation of a Law Practice: A Guide for Judges” – Texas Center for the Judiciary, Webinar, May 2, 2024.
• Panelist – “Probate Judges’ Panel” – Houston Bar Association, Houston, TX, April 30, 2024
• Speaker – “Guardianships – From Investigation to Formation” – Texas College of Probate Judges, Austin, TX, March 14, 2024
• Speaker – “Guardianships: A View from the Bench” –16^th Annual Estate Planning and Community Property CLE & Expo, Texas Tech Law School, Lubbock, TX, February 23, 2024
• Speaker – “Guardianships: A View from the Bench” – Texas Association of Counties Judicial Academy, San Marcos, TX, February 15, 2024
• Panelist – “Probate Judges’ Panel Discussion” – Attorneys in Tax and Probate, Houston, TX, February 6, 2024
• Panelist – “Building Blocks of Wills, Estates, and Probate” – State Bar of Texas, Austin, January 19, 2024
• Speaker – “You be the Judge” – State Bar of Texas, Fiduciary Litigation, December 14, 2023
• Speaker – “Guardianships: A View from the Bench” – State Bar of Texas, Advanced Guardianship, November 3, 2023
• Author – “The Recent Legislative Session Establishes a New Probate Court” – The Houston Lawyer, July/August 2023 (Vol. 62—Number 1)
• Speaker – “Guardianships Don’t Have to Last Forever” – Supreme Court of Ohio, Court Café CLE Program, August 23, 2023
• Speaker – “Guardianships: They Don’t Have to Last Forever” – National Center for State Courts (National Webinar), May 24, 2023
• Moderator – “Judges’ Panel” – State Bar of Texas, Texas Minority Attorney Program, Houston, Texas, May 12, 2023
• Speaker - “Role of Judges in Probate and Guardianships” – Texas Probate Academy, Texas Association of Counties, May 11, 2023
• Speaker - “Fiduciary Handbooks” –  Texas Probate Academy, Texas Association of Counties, May 11, 2023
• Panelist – “Judicial Panel on Alternative Dispute Resolution” – State Bar of Texas, Houston, Texas, May 5, 2023
• Panelist – “Probate Judges’ Panel” – Houston Bar Association, Houston, Texas, April 25, 2023
• Speaker – “Guardianship Law – Investigation to Creation” – Texas College of Probate Judges, Austin, Texas, March 8, 2023 &  Galveston, Texas, May 4, 2023.
• Speaker – “How to Avoid Common Mistakes in the Courtroom” – 15^th Annual Estate Planning and Community Property CLE and Expo, Texas Tech Law School, Lubbock, Texas, February 25, 2023
• Speaker – “24th Annual Building Blocks of Wills, Estates, and Probate” – Texas Bar CLE, Austin, Texas, January 20, 2023
• Speaker – “You Be the Judge” - Fiduciary Litigation, Texas Bar CLE, San Antonio, Texas, November 30, 2022
• Speaker – “Meeting the Challenges of Probate and Guardianships in our Various Counties” – Texas Association of County Administrators, October 6, 2022
• Speaker–“Guardianship Law Parts I & II”–Texas College of Probate Judges, May 11-12, 2022, El Paso, Texas
• Panelist–Houston Bar Association Judges’ Panel–April 26, 2022, Houston, Texas
• Speaker–“Guardianship Law Part I”–Texas College of Probate Judges, March 9, 2022, Austin, Texas
• Speaker - "Trying Cases Virtually" - Texas Bar Advanced Estate Planning and Probate, June 2021
• Speaker – “Probate Judges’ Panel Discussion” – Disability and Elder Law Attorneys Assoc., May 20, 2021
• Speaker – “Probate Judges’ Panel Discussion” – Houston Bar Association, April 27, 2021
• Speaker – “Zoom Presentations from Judges’ Perspectives” – Houston Bar Association, April 9, 2021
• Speaker – “Judicial Administration of Guardianships – Texas College of Probate Judges, March 11, 2021
• Speaker/Author – “Guardianship Law” – Texas College of Probate Judges, August 20, 2020
• Speaker – “Harris County Probate Courts Response to COVID”, Houston Bar Association, June 29, 2020
• Speaker – “Tips in Probate Court”, Texas Bar CLE -  Advanced Estate Planning and Probate, June 4, 2020
• Speaker – “Judicial Panel: Case Management in a Pandemic”- Texas Aggie Bar Association, May 21, 2020
• Speaker – “Zoom Presentations from the Judges’ Perspectives” – Houston Bar Association, April 2, 2020
• Speaker – “The Intersection of Family Law and Probate Law”, Burta Rhoads Raborn Family Law American Inn of Court, January 16, 2020
• Speaker/Author – “Nuts and Bolts of Guardianship Law” and “Less Restrictive Alternatives to Guardianship”, 2019 Guardianship Symposium, October 25, 2019
• Speaker – “Pro Tips in Probate Court”, Houston Bar Association; Probate, Trusts and Estates Section, September 24, 2019
• Speaker – “Guardianship Law”, Texas College of Probate Judges Annual Meeting, August 22-24, 2019, San Antonio, Texas
• Speaker/Author – “Estate Planning for Non-Traditional Families”, Texas Society of CPA’s Advanced Estate Planning Conference, August 16, 2019, San Antonio, Texas
• Speaker –“ Guardianship Law”, Texas College of Probate Judges Conference, May 30-31, 2019, Galveston, Texas
• Author – “Estate Planning and Elder Law Issues after Windsor,” Houston Lawyers Magazine, January 2014.
• Speaker/Co-Author and Editor – “Estate Planning for Unmarried Couples”, 27^th Annual Wills and Probate Institute, South Texas College of Law, September 20, 2012
• Speaker/Co-Author and Editor – “Advanced Estate Planning for Unmarried Couples”,  2012 Advanced Estate Planning Conference – Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants CPE Foundation, August 22, 2012
• Speaker/Author – “The Basic Duties of an Attorney Ad Litem: You’ve Been Appointed, So Now What?”, 26th Annual Wills and Probate Institute, South Texas College of Law, September 21, 2011.
• Speaker/Author – “The Roles, Duties, and Obligations of the Guardian”, Adult Protective Services CLE, August 18, 2011
• Speaker/Author – “The Various Roles of Ad Litems in Probate Court”, Houston Bar Association CLE, June 3, 2011
• Speaker – “Criminal Implications of Elder Abuse and Exploitation”, Advanced Elder Law Seminar, Texas Bar CLE, April 7, 2011
• Moderator – “Harris County Probate Court Judges’ Panel”, Disability and Elder Law Attorneys’ Association, February 2011.
• Program Committee / Speaker – “Guardianship Estate Administration”, Wills and Probate Institute, South Texas College of Law, August 2010
• Speaker / Program Director – “Attorney Ad Litem Certification”, Probate Court 1, June 6, 2010
• Speaker – “Durable Instruments in Estate Planning”, Tulane University, February 2010
• Speaker – “Cultural Diversity Issues”­, British Petroleum Houston Headquarters, September 2009
• Quoted in Vanity Fair, “A Claim to Camelot,” by David Friend, April 2008.
• Speaker—“Legal Protections for GLBT People”, University of Texas, October 16, 2007
• Speaker – “Cultural Diversity Issues”, British Petroleum Houston Headquarters, October 9, 2007
• Speaker – “Cultural Competency in the Practice of Law”, South Texas College of Law CLE, April 12, 2007.
• Author/Speaker—“Estate and Incapacity Planning for Persons with HIV/AIDS”, University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work, June 2006
• Author/Speaker – “Practicing Law in the Grey Shadow of the Texas Marriage Amendment”, State Bar of Texas Continuing Legal Education Webcast, April 2006
• Speaker / Program Director — “Legal Representation of Non-Traditional Families”, State Bar of Texas Continuing Legal Education, April 2006
• Author/Speaker – “How Might the Texas Marriage Amendment Affect Your Practice”, Attorneys in Tax and Probate CLE, February 2006
• Author/Speaker – “Estate and Incapacity Planning for Persons with HIV/AIDS”, University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work, June 2005
• Speaker – “Relationship Protection: A Will and a Way”, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church, April 2005
• Speaker – “Current Issues Faced by GLBT People”, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, March 2005
• Speaker – “Estate Planning for Same-Sex Couples”, South Texas College of Law, February 2005
• Author/Speaker – “The Law is Good, If One Uses It Lawfully”, Resurrection Metropolitan Community Church, February 2005
• Speaker – “Legal Aspects of Same-Sex Marriage”, Bering United Methodist Church, February 2005
• Quoted in Time Magazine, “Why Breaking Up is So Hard to Do,” by Jyoti Thottam, March 8, 2004
• Author/Speaker – “The Equitable Power of Texas Courts”, Stonewall Law Association of Greater Houston, CLE, October 2004
• Author/Speaker – “Same-Sex Marriage and Adoption Issues”, Prairie View A&M University, July 28, 2004
• Speaker – “Wills and Probate Basics”, Westbury Civic Organization, Senior Citizen Forum Westbury Baptist Church, July 17, 2004
• Author/Speaker – “Estate and Incapacity Planning for Persons with HIV/AIDS”, University of Houston Graduate School of Social Work, June 2004
• Keynote Speaker –  “Community Law Day”, Bering United Methodist Church, June 2004
• Author/Speaker – “The Law, Civil Rights, and Sexual Minorities”, Montgomery College, May 13, 2004