Carlos R. Cortez

Carlos R. Cortez, former judge of the 44th Texas State Civil District Court, practices primarily in the areas of civil litigation and personal injury. He is admitted to practice in the State of Texas and U.S. District Court - Northern District of Texas. He attended the University of North Texas, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Mr. Cortez obtained his J.D. from Texas Wesleyan School of Law. Mr. Cortez was an award winning judge for the State of Texas from 2007-2014 and served on a Presidential Inaugural Committee, presided over the largest corporate buyout lawsuit in the history of American jurisprudence and was presented the Medal of Friendship by the President of Mongolia at the United Nations for his judicial service. Before taking the bench, Mr. Cortez was recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice for his pro bono work for the victims of the 9/11 tragedy and by the Dallas Bar Association for his pro bono work for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. As an attorney, Mr. Cortez has received many recognitions including having been selected to "D Magazine's" list of Best Lawyers Under 40, Rising Star - Thompson Reuters "Super Lawyers" (2005), and "The National Law Journal's" Top Verdicts of the Year. His profession affiliations include the State Bar of Texas; U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas; Dallas Bar Association and Dallas Trial Lawyers Association. He has been recognized by numerous prestigious publications, including: Top 100 Verdicts - The National Law Journal, 2003 Best Lawyers Under 40 - D Magazine, 2004 Rising Star - Thompson Reuters "Super Lawyers", 2005 Top 20 Jury Verdicts, Truck Accidents, 2019 Top 50 Jury Verdicts, Motor Vehicle Accidents, 2019 Top Verdicts & Settlements, Southwest, Texas Lawyer, 2020 Awards and Honors Super Lawyers® Selectees Carlos R. Cortez included in a Super Lawyers® list Honors Medal of Friendship from the President of Mongolia at the United Nations, 2013 United States Department of Justice - 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, 2001 - 2005 Top 100 Verdicts - The National Law Journal, 2003 Best Lawyers Under 40 - D Magazine, 2004 Rising Star - Thomson Reuters "Super Lawyers", 2005 Top 20 Jury Verdicts, Truck Accidents, 2019 Top 50 Jury Verdicts, Motor Vehicle Accidents, 2019 Top Verdicts & Settlements, Southwest, Texas Lawyer, 2020 Other Sources of Feedback About Carlos R. Cortez Included on the 2026Texas Super Lawyers list Past Lists 2005 Texas Super Lawyers list

• Managing Partner

• Carlos R. Cortez, P.C., Managing Partner, 1996 - 2006
• 44th State Civil District Court, Presiding Judge, 2007 - 2014
• Languages
• English
• Spanish

• Continuing Legal Education Seminars, Dallas Bar Association, 2006 - 2014
• Supreme Court Review, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, 2011

• City of Harlingen v. Sharboneau
• Citation: 48 S.W.3d 177
• Court: Supreme Court of Texas
• Year: 2001
• Ashmore v. JMS Construction, Inc.
• Citation: 2016 Tex.App.LEXIS 13201
• Court: 5th Court of Appeals
• Year: 2016
• Garza v. Crecelius
• Citation: 2000 Tex.App.LEXIS 6584
• Court: 13th Court of Appeals
• Year: 2000
• Watson v. Hardman
• Citation: 497 S.W.3d 601 601 (Tex. App. 2016)
• Abuzaid v. EFYU JO, L.L.C.
• Citation: No. 05-17-00976-CV (Tex. App. May 31, 2018)
• In re State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.
• Citation: 606 S.W.3d 780 (Tex. App. 2019)
• Shirvani v. Celebrity Healthcare Mgmt.
• Citation: No. 05-19-00192-CV (Tex. App. Apr. 16, 2020)
• Citation: No. 19-0791 (Tex. Mar. 19, 2021)
• In re Guevara
• Citation: 624 S.W.3d 920 (Tex. 2021)

• 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Attorney - ATLA & Trial Lawyers Care, 2001 - 2005
• Pro Bono College of the State of Texas, 2006

• Texas, 1996
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Texas, 2003
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of Texas, 2023

• Dallas Trial Lawyers Association, 1996 - Present (Member)
• Dallas Bar Association, 1996 - 2016 (Member)
• Fraternities and Sororities
• Phi Alpha Delta