Judge Roderick Garner

Judge Roderick Garner

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 2, Place 1

As a longtime resident of Precinct 2, Judge Garner is married to his beautiful wife Cynthia, and they are blessed with a blended family of four children and 9 grandchildren. Judge Garner has dedicated most of his adult life to the service of Fort Bend County. He is the youngest of three brothers: (Michael Garner, Ronald Garner). Born in Foster Place, Houston, Texas. Judge Garner’s father, Horace Garner, moved his family to Fort Bend County in 1973.

Judge Garner attended Fort Bend Schools from elementary through high school graduating from “THE WILLOWRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL” in 1985. After graduating high school, he attended Texas Southern University and Southwest Texas State University (where he pledged Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated in the Fall of 1986). Judge Garner later transferred to the University of Houston-Downtown where he completed his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice in 1992.

After working for only 6 months as a state parole officer, Judge Garner resigned to attend the Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Law Enforcement Academy in Austin, Texas. In 1994 he began a career as a Trooper and promoted to the position of Narcotics Sergeant/Investigator including covert operations and as a joint federal drug task force operative for DEA. In 2003, Judge Roderick Garner accepted an English teaching position and became the Head Baseball Coach at his alma mater Willowridge High School.  He worked at Willowridge for 10 years before pursuing his master’s degree in Criminal Justice at Colorado Technical University maintaining a 3.95 GPA and began teaching Criminal Justice college courses and Peace Officer Training Academy courses.

Judge Garner was instrumental in the naming of B.J. Baines Middle School in Sienna (due to the impact Billy Baines made in the community as the elementary principal of Blue Ridge elementary in the early 1970s). Judge Roderick Garner served as a Captain in Waller County while attending Thurgood Marshall School of Law.  Upon graduating Law School in 2016, Judge Garner left Waller County and accepted a position as the Chief Deputy for Fort Bend County Precinct 2 Constable’s Office where he served for four years before being elected to the bench in November 2022. Judge Roderick C. Garner Sr. is “HOMEGROWN” from the community, in the community and for the community!

 

Common Legal Terms (Justice Court)

  • Pro Se Litigant – A person who is “self-represented” during a legal proceeding as an exercise of his/her constitutional right to do so.

  • Ex parte – Refers to legal proceedings, motions, or orders granted by a judge based solely on the request and evidence of one party, without the opposing party being present, notified, or given an opportunity to respond. (Such actions are exceptions rather than the rule).

  • Plaintiff – the party that initiates the legal proceeding (lawsuit).

  • Defendant – the party targeted by the plaintiff as the cause of the harm or breach of a fiduciary responsibility.

  • Burden of Proof – the level of proof necessary to successfully plead a cause of action. In criminal law that burden is, “Beyond a reasonable doubt.” In a civil action the burden is, “by preponderance of evidence.”

  • “Preponderance” – Is reached by “tipping” the scale of justice ever so slightly to one side, or proof that an allegation more likely than not to have happened or is true.

    Default Judgment – a binding ruling made by a judge in favor of a Plaintiff because the defendant failed to respond or show up to court.

  • Discovery – Prior to trial, a litigant may request relevant information from an opposing party for trial preparation or to assist with the pursuit of a settlement agreement. Often times, both parties exchange information.

  • Eviction – The formal legal process a landlord must use to remove a tenant from a rental property.

  • Appeal – A formal request asking a higher court to review, change, or overturn a decision made by a lower court judge or jury. In Justice Court, appeals are De novo.

  • De Novo – The entire proceeding is heard by the higher court from the beginning as if the previous trial did not occur.