Court of Criminal Appeals
Presiding Judge David J. Schenck
Place 1
Presiding Judge David J. Schenck comes to the Court having served previously as a Justice on the Fifth Court of Appeals at Dallas, Chair of the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct, and Deputy Attorney General for Legal Counsel. He practiced appellate law in Dallas and Washington, D.C, and is a member of the American Law Institute. He is married... Read more
Judge Bert Richardson
Place 3
Judge Bert Richardson was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2014, and he began his term on January 1, 2015. He was reelected in 2020. From 1988 to 1999 he was a trial and appellate lawyer while serving as an Assistant District Attorney for Bexar County and as an Assistant U. S. Attorney for the Western District... Read more
Judge Kevin Yeary
Place 4
Judge Kevin Patrick Yeary was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2014. He previously served as law clerk to the late Honorable Judge Bill White at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, during the Court's 1991-1992 term. After his clerkship, he worked as a defense attorney in private practice and then, later, as an Assistant District Attorney... Read more
Judge David Newell
Place 9
Judge David Newell was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on November 4, 2014. The son of Thomas and Linda Newell, David was born at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland, though he grew up in Sugar Land, Texas with his much taller, older brother, Robert Newell. David graduated cum laude from William P. Clements High School. He earned... Read more
Judge Mary Lou Keel
Place 2
Mary Lou Keel was elected to the Court in 2016. From 1995 through 2016 she presided over the 232nd District Court in Harris County, Texas. She also served Harris County as an assistant district attorney at trial and on appeal. She was a briefing attorney for the First Court of Appeals from 1985-86. She has been board certified in Criminal... Read more
Judge Scott Walker
Place 5
Judge Scott Walker was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in November of 2016. Prior to taking the bench, his law practice consisted of criminal litigation, appellate advocacy, civil defense, and veteran's disability. His undergraduate degree is from Dallas Baptist University and his Juris Doctorate is from Baylor School of Law. Judge Walker is a member of the State... Read more
Judge Jesse F. McClure, III
Place 6
Jesse McClure was appointed to the Court in 2020. From 2019 to 2020 he presided over the 339th District Court in Harris County, Texas. He also served Texas as a special prosecutor for the Texas Department of Insurance for over 7 years, and Tarrant County as an assistant district attorney for nearly 11 years. He earned a BA in Philosophy from... Read more
Judge Lee Finley
Place 8
Judge Lee Finley was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2024. He served overseas in the United States Marine Corps before returning to Texas to earn degrees in Chemistry, Humanities, Philosophy and Law. He practiced State and Federal criminal defense, including Court Appointed representation of indigent defendants. He is a graduate of the University of Texas School... Read more
Judge Gina G. Parker
Place 7
Judge Gina G. Parker was elected to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2024. She received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from Baylor University and a Law Degree from Baylor School of Law. She has practiced as both a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney. As a public servant, she has represented Texas citizens as... Read more