Experience

THE VOICE AT THE TOP MATTERS. In these uncertain times, we need an experienced appellate jurist to serve as the next Chief Justice to best navigate through charted and uncharted territory. Justice Martinez has served effectively with two Chief Justices and nine sitting justices through four legislative sessions, has collaboratively overseen five fiscal court budgets and written almost 1,000 opinions. Recognized for her contributions to the legal profession and to her community, Justice Rebeca Martinez has the relevant judicial experience, knowledge and leadership skills to preside over the administration of the Fourth Court of Appeals.

Integrity

Through her actions and jurisprudence, Justice Rebeca Martinez has reaffirmed the deepest level of commitment to the rule of law and to the fair administration of justice, and is committed to keeping justice transparent, equitable and accountable. She has worked to support court procedures that mirror the values enshrined in our Texas Constitution - to provide equal access to justice without regard to race, gender, creed or sexual orientation. In doing so, Rebeca has sought to act responsibly, is committed to a work ethic demonstrated by her predecessors, and respects her mandate to rule fairly without bias or prejudice. As the next Chief Justice, Rebeca will continue to promote greater transparency and efficiency to the judiciary, and effort to navigate the Fourth Court of Appeals through any shared crisis or emergency.

Knowledge

Before joining the bench, Rebeca practiced law as a litigator for two decades in courtrooms across South Texas, representing business entities and individuals involved in multi-party litigation, both in state and federal court, including actions involving toxic tort, personal injury and wrongful death, premises liability, oil & gas, as well as family law and criminal defense. For the past eight years and currently the senior associate justice on the court, Justice Martinez has worked collaboratively with her colleagues on the Fourth Court and sister courts across Texas to keep the courts open and accessible to those we serve. As the only candidate for Chief Justice that is a sitting appellate justice, Justice Rebeca Martinez has the knowledge, experience and unique perspective that will help navigate the Fourth Court of Appeals through the fiscal, administrative, and technological challenges facing the appellate courts in 2020 and into the next decade.

Leadership

In the last 28 years, Rebeca has been recognized for her continued service to the Bar and legal community. Rebeca currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Dean of her alma mater, Boston University School of Law, and the University of Texas LBJ School of Public Policy's Women's Campaign School. She also serves on the Board of The Purple Campaign, a coalition of stakeholders working to improve corporate policies to achieve harrasment-free work environments. She is a member, former board member or officer of numerous local, state and national organizations, including the National Association of Women Judges, the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Center for the Judiciary, the Texas Young Lawyers Association, and the Mexican American Bar Association, to name a few. Justice Martinez currently serves on the Board of the Judicial Section of the State Bar of Texas, working to improve the quality of justice in Texas and fighting to preserve the independence of the judicial branch. As Chief Justice, Rebeca seeks to promote civic awareness and engagement to improve the public's confidence in the justice system.