Justice Randy Wilson was appointed to the Fourteenth Court of Appeals by Governor Greg Abbott in December 2020, effective January 2021. Prior to his appointment, Justice Wilson was a partner at Susman Godfrey, one of the most prominent litigation firms in America, and is board certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He was elected to the American Board of Trial Advocates. Chambers USA named Wilson as one of the leading commercial litigators in America.
In 2003, Judge Wilson was appointed Judge of the 157th Judicial District Court in Harris County where he served for over 15 years. He was twice selected as Trial Judge of the Year by the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists. He was appointed as a Special Justice of the Texas Supreme Court to hear an appeal of a large commercial case. He is only one of two persons ever to have been named by Law Dragon as one of the 500 Leading Judges in America and also one of the 500 Leading Lawyers in America.
He is a former board member of Star of Hope and Main Street Ministries and an Elder at First Presbyterian Church of Houston. Judge Wilson received a Bachelor of Arts from The University of Texas at Arlington and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Houston Law School where he graduated first in his class
- Appointed by Governor Perry, Civil District Judge, 2003; elected and re-elected 4 times
- Twice selected Trial Judge of the Year by Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists--2009 & 2011
- Selected one of the 500 Leading Judges in America
- Consistently rated #1 civil trial judge in HBA's Judicial Evaluation Poll
- Unanimously selected by civil district judges as Civil Administrative Judge
- Graduated First in Class, University of Houston Law School, 1977
- Board Certified in Civil Trial Law for 30+ years
- Partner, 23 years, at Susman Godfrey, one of America's leading litigation firms
- Consistently rated one of top trial lawyers in Texas and Houston
- Member, Grievance Committee, State Bar of Texas
- Named as one of the top 500 Leading Lawyers in America by Law Dragon
- Adjunct Law Professor, Univ. of Houston College of Law, Ethics & Professional Responsibility
- Married to Mary Wilson, 48 Years; 3 adult children
- Elder, First Presbyterian Church of Houston, Adult Sunday School Teacher
- Member, Board of Directors, Star of Hope Mission, servicing Houston's Homeless
- President & Member of Board of Directors of Lifehouse of Houston, providing a home for pregnant teenage girls
- Member, Board of Directors, Main Street Ministries, serving Houston's homeless and indigent
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What Do Jurors Say About Judge Wilson?
Judge Wilson has presided over hundreds of jury trials since going to the bench in 2003. After each trial, Judge Wilson sends a questionnaire to every juror asking about their experiences as a juror in order to learn how to improve trials. The jurors’ responses are almost universally positive. Here are samples of the responses:
HBA Judicial Evaluation Poll Results
2021
2017
2015
2013
2011
2009
2007
2005
Publications and Speeches
A frequent speaker at continuing legal education seminars, including seminars sponsored by the American Bar Association, State Bar of Texas, Houston Bar Association, and South Texas College of Law.
- Wilson & Susman, WINNING AT TRIAL: INSIGHTS FROM THE BENCH AND LEADING LITIGATORS, Ch. 2, JURY SELECTION, pp. 50-81 (Law Journal Press 2014)
- “The Panel Interviews on Professionalism 78 Tex. B.J. 712 (Oct. 2015);
- Judge Randy Wilson, “Some Judicial Election Observations,” 53 The Houston Lawyer 32 (July August 2015);
- Judge Randy Wilson, “Civil Litigation Trends in One of the Nation’s Largest Counties,” 51 THE HOUSTON LAWYER 10 (July/August 2013)
- Judge Randy Wilson, “Admissibility of Web-Based Data,” 52 THE ADVOCATE, STATE BAR LITIGATION Report 31 (Fall 2010);
- Judge Randy Wilson, “Paid or Incurred: An Enigma Shrouded in a Puzzle,” 71 TEX. B.J. 812 (Nov. 2008);
- Judge Randy Wilson, “Parol Evidence in Breach of Contract Cases,” 39 THE ADVOCATE, STATE BAR LITIGATION REPORT 44 (Summer 2007);
- Judge Randy Wilson, “Practical Issues in Litigating the Trans-Border Dispute in Texas,” 70 TEX. B.J. 130 (Feb. 2007);
- Judge Randy Wilson, “Texas Voir Dire: The Rules Have Changed,” 69 TEX. B.J. 512 (June 2006);
- Judge Randy Wilson, “Why Can’t Lawyers Preserve Objections?” 69 TEX. B.J. 316 (April 2006);
- Judge Randy Wilson, “What Do Jurors Say About Trial Lawyers?” 68 TEX. B. J. 152 (Feb. 2005);
- Judge Randy Wilson, “The Sham Affidavit Doctrine in Texas,” 66 TEX. B. J. 962 (Dec. 2003);
- “Control of Class Action Abuses Through Regulation of Communications,” 4 Class Action Reports 632 (1977);
- Note, 14 Hous. L. Rev. 1115 (1977).
- What are the 10 Hardest Questions? (Summer 2007)
- Show It, Don’t Just Say It! (Fall 2007)
- Make Your Briefs Graphic (Winter 2007)
- Close the Gates (Summer 2008)
- Folklore and Myths (Fall 2008)
- The Oral Hearing (Winter 2008)
- The Bench Trial: It Really Is Different (Summer 2009)
- Impeaching With a Prior Deposition (Fall 2009)
- Voir Dire Checklist (Personal Injury Case) (Winter 2009)
- The Document Production (Summer 2010)
- Forty-Five Days Out (Winter 2010)
- The Motion to Compel (Summer 2011)
- The Closing (Fall 2011)
- Do You Suggest a Number (Winter 2011)
- Motions in Limine (Summer 2012)
- Take That Deposition on the Road (Fall 2012)
- The Problem with Jury Response Rate—Let’s Get the Numbers Right (Winter 2012)
- Restraining Orders (Spring 2013)
- Recent Bench Trials (Summer 2013)
- Jury Notes (Fall 2013)
- Motions to Dismiss (Winter 2013)
- The Opening Statement (Summer 2014)
- Summary Judgments (Fall 2014)
- Don’t Be that Guy Who… (Winter 2014
- Can’t We Just Make the Record Clear? (Summer 2015)
- Judges Talk (Fall 2015)
- If I Knew Then What I Know Now—Juries (Winter 2015)
- Taking Depositions for Trial (Summer 2016)
- Multiple Summary Judgments? (Fall 2016)
- Televisions Objections (Winter 2016)
- Plan for the Worst (Spring 2017)
- Sometimes Old School is the Best (Fall 2017)
- Randy Wilson, “Legal Lessons for the Next Generation, 38 TEXAS LAWYER, Vol. 25, p. 39 (Dec. 21, 2009)
- Randy Wilson, “The Proof From Post-Trial Juror Surveys,” 23 TEXAS LAWYER, Vol. 28, p. 23 (Sept. 3, 2012)
- What Do Judges Say About the Jury System? TEXAS BAR BLOG, May 2, 2017
