Junkin appointed as District Judge
Wimberley attorney David Junkin has been appointed as the judge of the newly created 453rd Judicial District Court in Hays County by Governor Greg Abbott.
The new court was originally approved by the Texas Legislature in 2017.
According to reports from the time, the court was created to help with a backlog of cases at the District Court level due to the growth of Hays County
“Hays County is one of the fastest-growing in Texas and even in the nation. With such rapid growth comes significant challenges, including backlogs in the legal system,” Former State Representative Jason Isaac said in a 2017 press release announcing the new courts. “This legislation will help Hays County residents resolve their legal matters and reach justice while reducing frustrating delays.”
At the time, it had been more than a decade since Hays County had received a new county court.
“Hays County last received an additional county court in 1987 and an additional district court in 2005. Since then, our population has increased dramatically placing a great burden on our courts,” said Hays County Judge Bert Cobb said in the same press release. “These new courts will ensure we are able to operate the efficient and effective justice system that our citizens deserve.”
“The passage of SB 1329 creating two additional courts in Hays County is the culmination of two years of work by several members of the local bar, our sitting judges, the Hays County Commissioners Court, and Representative Isaac’s office,” said Daniel O’Brien, a member of the local legal community. “The new courts will help meet the current high demand on judicial resources in Hays County to hear all types of cases and will allow community members to more quickly resolve their disputes. The new courts will also help the county keep pace with the acknowledged needs of our fast-growing population, including the continued increase in criminal, family, probate, and other civil case filings.”
Junkin owns the private practice Junkin Law Office in Wimberley. He was previously a Wimberley ISD Board of Trustee, a director of CASA Central Texas, Wimberley Senior Citizens Activity, Inc., Habitat for Humanity and the Wimberley Education Foundation, along with other non-profit work.
He received a Bachelor of Science from Texas A&M University and a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Houston Law Center.
Junkin is appointed for a term set to expire on December 31, 2020 or until his successor is elected.