Judge Armando V. Rodriguez

Judge Armando V. Rodriguez has been a Justice of the Peace for over 30 years. He was first elected to office in l974, and is currently serving his eighth term of office. He is a senior Judge in Harris County and has served as Vice Chairman of the Justice of the Peace Section of the State Bar of Texas. He was elected Chairman of the Justice of the Peace Section of the State Bar of Texas in 1995.

He currently also serves as a member of the Harris County Bail Bond Board.

Rodriguez began working with the Houston Legal Foundation while still in law school, by participating in a program that allowed senior law school students to work with practicing attorneys before graduation. After passing the State Bar, he took a staff attorney's position representing clients in divorce, repossessions of homes, probate and other consumer problems.

He joined the firm of Sanchez, Salinas, Martinez & Rodriguez in the General Practice of the Law before being appointed to a Municipal Judgeship. He was the first Hispanic to serve as a fulltime Judge in the Municipal Court of the City of Houston, and became the first Hispanic to be appointed to Harris County Justice of the Peace by Commissioners Court Before being elected to that position.

Born:
A Native Houstonian
Married to Rita Rodriguez
Children: Carlos, Angela and Andy

Education:
Jeff Davis High School
Graduated with Honors

University of Houston
Bachelor of Business Administration
with a Minor in Accounting

Doctor of Jurisprudence, Bates School of Law University of Houston

Licensed and Authorize by the Supreme Court of Texas to practice as Attorney and Counselor at Law in all the Courts of the State of Texas

Admitted to practice in the Federal Southern District of Texas.

Accomplishments:
Under the tutorage of Attorney Carol Fielden, established a non-profit Clinic to provide free Prenatal and Dental care to the needy.

Created the Parent Panel, which allows the participation of parents along with school personnel to have input the determining the punishment and evaluations of truancy and juvenile cases filed by HISD in Justice Court 6.

Created a Teen Court format that allowed the participation of students to be more effective in the resolution of problems. This format was so simple and effective that it was approved and implemented in several Junior and High Schools in Precinct 6 HISD.

Coordinated with the First Court of Appeals Justice Frank Evans in creating and establishing a predecessor program to the Mediation Program now used in County and District Courts.

Is a frequent visitor to senior centers to support and encourage a healthy and active lifestyle by the participation in music and various programs.

Participates in programs that will educate and inform community of the various laws that affects their daily lives.

A frequent lecture at the People's Law School, under Dr. Richard Alderman at the University of Houston.

Honors and Awards:
The Benito Juarez Medallion from President Luis Echeverria of Mexico, the highest honor given to a non-resident of Mexico for creating better goodwill and understanding between Mexico and the United States, presented by Secretary of the Treasury, Mario Ramon Beteta.

Houston NAACP President Emeritus ALEX Award for Legal Excellence