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277th District Court
Judge Stacey Mathews
Presiding
Stacey Mathews was appointed as Judge of the 277th District Court in Williamson County, Texas in 2013 by Governor Rick Perry. In the 277th District Court, Judge Mathews presides over felony criminal cases and serves as the Presiding Juvenile Judge of Williamson County and Chair of the Juvenile Board. As Juvenile Board Chair, she oversees Williamson County Juvenile Services Department, a department with over 180 employees and a budget of 14-million dollars, which has become the preeminent model for trauma informed care strategies in juvenile justice.
Judge Mathews has a heart for service, especially to those who have experienced the hard side of life. She is the founding Judge of the Transformative Justice Program, a pretrial diversion program for justice-involved young adults. She also serves as a member of the Williamson County Pretrial Services Board, d the Oversight Board for the Williamson County Auditor's Office and the Williamson County Adult Probation Department. Judge Mathews has supervised the Williamson County Magistrate's Office and the Associate Judges who serve the District Courts.
In 2016, Judge Mathews was appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas and the Court of Criminal Appeals to serve on the statewide Judicial Commission on Mental Health (JCMH). The JCMH is charged with improving the lives of individuals with mental health needs and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through the JCMH, she has Chaired the Legislative Research Committee, is a member of the Curriculum Committee and the Juvenile Bench Book Committee and has been a presenter at the JCMH Annual Summit.
In 2022, Judge Mathews was asked to serve on the Judicial Needs Assessment Committee, a statewide body that is charged with developing the formula used to determine how many courts are needed in counties across the state. This Committee will be working in 2023 to provide guidance to the Office of Court Administration and the legislature to support decisions that will shape the Texas judiciary for years to come.
Judge Mathews is deeply involved in both the legal and broader Williamson County community. She served on the board of the Georgetown Health Foundation, previously served on the board of the Williamson County Child Advocacy Center, is a founding board member of the Williamson County Inns of Court, and a member of the local bar association.
Prior to her appointment to the bench, Mathews served as an Assistant District Attorney in Williamson and Harris Counties, and, in 2012 was Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She is also a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation.
Judge Mathews received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston Law Center and, before law school, was an English and Social Studies teacher after completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Northern Colorado.
While she grew up in Colorado, Judge Mathews and her husband, Troy, got to Texas as quickly as they could and have resided here for over 25 years. She is a member of Lord of First United Methodist Church in Round Rock and the proud grandma of three!