United States District Court for the Western District of Texas
About This Court
Located in the Fifth Circuit, the Western District of Texas covers a vast geographic area spanning from the suburban counties west of Austin across the Hill Country, through the Permian Basin, and down to the Big Bend region and the Rio Grande border communities. It is one of the largest federal judicial districts in the United States by land area, encompassing major urban centers such as San Antonio, Austin, El Paso, and Waco, as well as sprawling rural territories.
The district has grown significantly in recent decades, driven by population growth in the Austin and San Antonio metropolitan areas and sustained immigration enforcement activity along the southwestern border. This combination of urban expansion and border proximity gives the district a diverse and high-volume docket.
The Western District has drawn national attention for patent litigation, particularly in the Waco Division, which became a preferred forum for intellectual property plaintiffs in the early 2020s. The district also handles a substantial number of criminal cases related to immigration, drug trafficking, and firearms offenses, reflecting its position along one of the busiest stretches of the United States-Mexico border.
Proceedings are governed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, and Federal Rules of Evidence, along with the court's local rules. Bankruptcy cases are handled by the companion Bankruptcy Court, Western District of Texas.
Divisions
Austin Division (Austin), Del Rio Division (Del Rio), El Paso Division (El Paso), Midland-Odessa Division (Midland), Pecos Division (Alpine), San Antonio Division (San Antonio), Waco Division (Waco)
Caseload
The district carries one of the heaviest criminal dockets in the country, driven largely by immigration and narcotics prosecutions along the southern border. It has also become a prominent venue for patent infringement litigation, particularly in the Waco Division.
Bar Admission
Attorneys must be admitted to practice before the Western District of Texas by submitting an application, paying the required fee, and being a member in good standing of the State Bar of Texas or another state bar. Attorneys not admitted in Texas may seek admission pro hac vice for individual cases with the sponsorship of a locally admitted attorney.
Clerk's Office
262 West Nueva Street, San Antonio, TX 78207
(210) 472-6550
Active Judges 15
| Name | Appointed By | Confirmed | Law School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Albright | Donald J. Trump | 2018 | University of Texas School of Law |
| Samuel Biery | William J. Clinton | 1994 | Southern Methodist University School of Law (now Dedman School of Law) |
| David Briones | William J. Clinton | 1994 | University of Texas School of Law |
| Kathleen Cardone | George W. Bush | 2003 | St. Mary's University School of Law, Texas |
| Walter Counts | Donald J. Trump | 2018 | St. Mary's University School of Law, Texas |
| Orlando Garcia | William J. Clinton | 1994 | University of Texas School of Law |
| Ernest Gonzalez | Joseph R. Biden | 2024 | Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law |
| David Guaderrama | Barack Obama | 2012 | Notre Dame Law School |
| Frank Montalvo | George W. Bush | 2003 | Wayne State University Law School |
| Alia Moses | George W. Bush | 2002 | University of Texas School of Law |
| James Nowlin | Ronald Reagan | 1981 | University of Texas School of Law |
| Robert Pitman | Barack Obama | 2014 | University of Texas School of Law |
| Jason Pulliam | Donald J. Trump | 2019 | Texas Southern University, Thurgood Marshall School of Law |
| Xavier Rodriguez | George W. Bush | 2003 | University of Texas School of Law |
| Leon Schydlower | Joseph R. Biden | 2024 | University of Texas School of Law |
Local Rules
50 local rules extracted from this court's published rules. See the court's official website for the authoritative text.