EXPERIENCE MATTERS
With over 32 years of legal experience, 20 years of that as a judge, Justice Irene Rios has earned a stellar reputation for her knowledge of the law, fairness, and strong ethics.
About Justice Irene Rios
Justice Irene Rios was elected to the Fourth Court of Appeals in 2016. Justice Rios graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1990. In 1999, she was appointed by the Bexar County Commissioners Court as Judge of Bexar County Court at Law No. 10, where she served for 14 years.
As a trial judge, Justice Rios presided over civil cases involving multiple areas of law, including consumer, contract, employment, tort, and landlord-tenant law. She also assisted with Drug Court and in cases involving the neglect and abuse of children, reviewed appeals of Administrative Law and Municipal Court judicial decisions, and presided over appeals from Justice of the Peace Courts. During her tenure at County Court at Law No. 10, Justice Rios additionally served as the 2007 Administrative Judge for the twelve county courts at law.
Justice Rios has served on the Board of Trustees of St. Mary’s University and is a past President of St. Mary’s Law Alumni Association and Hispanic Law Alumni Association. She is a Fellow of the Texas and San Antonio Bar Foundations and has served as a Special Master of Major Litigation.
Her community involvement has included teaching Sunday School at Holy Spirit Catholic Church and being a part of the ACTS community.
Justice Rios and her husband, Raul Rios, have been married 30 years and have four children.
- Justice (2017-2022) Fourth Court of Appeals
- Judge (1999-2013), Bexar County Court at Law No. 10
- Administrative Judge (2007), Elected by Bexar County court at law judges to handle administrative matters and represent 12 courts
- Licensed (1990) by the Supreme Court of Texas
- Board Member (2018-2020), Texas Center for the Judiciary
- Trustee (2015-2016), St. Mary’s University
- Special Master of Major Litigation (2016)
- President (2014), Law Alumni Association, St. Mary’s University School of Law
- Member (2014), Law School Dean Search Committee, St. Mary’s University School of Law
Vice-Chair (2007-2013), San Antonio Municipal Court Advisory Committee
President (1996), Hispanic Law Alumni Association, St. Mary’s University School of Law
Fellow, Texas and San Antonio Bar Foundations
- Graduate (1990), St. Mary’s University School of Law
"In her 20 years as a judge, Rios has distinguished herself for a strong work ethic and fairness . . . She’s been on the court for six years, capably handling civil and criminal appeals. . .
There is no reason for change."
Overwhelmingly the Choice of Texas Lawyers
State Bar of Texas – 2022 Judicial Poll
The Fourth Court of Appeals
The Fourth Court of Appeals has intermediate appellate jurisdiction of both civil and criminal cases appealed from lower courts in thirty-two counties of Texas; in civil cases where judgment rendered exceeds $250, exclusive of interest and costs, and other civil proceedings as provided by law; and in criminal cases except in post -conviction writs of habeas corpus and where the death penalty has been imposed.
The Fourth Court of Appeals is comprised of seven Justices who hear cases from thirty-two counties located in South Texas and the Texas Hill Country. Those counties are:
- Atascosa
- Dimmit
- Gillespie
- Karnes
- Kinney
- McMullen
- Starr
- Webb
- Bandera
- Duval
- Guadalupe
- Kendall
- La Salle
- Medina
- Sutton
- Wilson
- Bexar
- Edwards
- Jim Hogg
- Kerr
- Mason
- Menard
- Uvalde
- Zapata
- Brooks
- Frio
- Jim Wells
- Kimble
- Maverick
- Real
- Val Verde
- Zavala
Pol. adv. paid for by Irene Rios Campaign. In compliance with the voluntary limits of the Judicial Campaign Fairness Act. George F. Long, Treasurer, 12015 San Pedro, San Antonio, Texas 78216