Julie Countiss

Former Justice Julie Countiss was elected to Place 7 on the Court of Appeals for the First District of Texas on November 6, 2018, and sworn into office by her father, retired Justice Richard Countiss. Named Appellate Judge of the Year by the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists in 2022, Julie authored over 300 written opinions on the merits and participated in thousands more.

Many of the civil appellate cases former Justice Countiss presided over included complicated business disputes and high-stakes commercial litigation; breach of contract cases arising out of large-scale construction projects; important personal injury/tort cases; appeals involving questions of governmental immunity; prolonged trust and estate battles; questions related to class-certification; and interlocutory appeals from denied motions to compel arbitration.

Julie is an active member of the Houston Bar Association. She currently co-chairs the Law Library Committee for the HBA and in the past she co-chaired the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, the Professionalism Committee and the Civil Trial and Appellate Bench Bar Committee. She has twice won a president’s award from the Houston Bar Association for her service.

EDUCATION

  • University of Houston, Juris Doctorate, 2002

  • Southern Methodist University, Bachelor of Arts, History, 1993

DISTINCTIONS AND AFFILIATIONS

  • Appellate Judge of the Year, Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists, 2022

  • Texas Children’s Commission—appointed by the Texas Supreme Court to serve, 2019 - present

  • National Association of Women Judges, Co-Chair Membership Committee, 2020 - 2021

  • Legislative Committee State Bar of Texas Judicial Section, 2020 - present

  • Houston Bar Association, Professionalism Committee, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and the Law Library Committee, 2008 - present

  • Kids in Need of Defense, Pro Bono Attorney, 2015 - 2018

  • Association of Women Attorneys, 2015 - present

  • Texas District and County Attorney’s Association, 2014 - 2018

  • River Oaks Area Democratic Women