Judge, 486th District Court (Harris County)

Governor Greg Abbott appointed Vanessa Velasquez judge of the 486th District Court in Harris County on July 13, 2026, for a term expiring December 31, 2026¹. She previously served as a Harris County assistant district attorney and as judge of the 183rd District Court from her 2005 appointment by Governor Rick Perry until she lost re-election in 2018, then served as a senior district judge¹²³. She is unopposed in the November 3, 2026 general election for the remainder of the term⁴.

• Judge, 486th District Court (Harris County), since July 2026, appointed by Governor Greg Abbott¹
• Senior district court judge, Eleventh Administrative Judicial Region, 2019 to 2026¹³
• Judge, 183rd District Court (Harris County), 2005 to 2018: appointed by Governor Rick Perry in 2005, won the 2010 general election with 57% against Democrat Michael Gomez, was unopposed in 2014, and lost to Democrat Chuck Silverman in 2018, 46.2% to 53.8%²³
• Former assistant district attorney, Harris County District Attorney's Office, and former defense attorney¹²
• Member, State Bar of Texas, Texas Center for the Judiciary, and Texas Association of Retired Former and Senior Judges¹
• B.A. in Political Science, University of Houston; J.D., South Texas College of Law¹
• Appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the 486th District Court on July 13, 2026, for a term expiring December 31, 2026¹. The seat was not on the March 2026 primary ballot; she is the only candidate on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot for the unexpired portion of the term⁴.