Court Information
The following information is general information and guidance for practicing law in County Court at Law Number Four. This information is not exhaustive of all the Court's policies and procedures, and the Court reserves the right to modify its rules as necessary. This information is in no way intended to substitute for legal advice specific to any party, but is merely for informational purposes only.
Court Rules for County Court at Law Number 4 can be found by clicking here.
- CCL4 Court Rules [PDF]
- Local Rules of Court - County Courts at Law [PDF]
- Indigent Defense Plan and Local Rules For Appointment of Counsel (Ninth Amended) [PDF]
- Juvenile - Indigent Defense Plan and Local Rules For Appointment of Counsel (Amended September 2022)
- C.O.R.E. Court
Interpreting, Translation and Language Assistance Services
- Information on how to request language assistance services and required documents can be found here Language Access.
Staff

Jenica G. Salazar, Court Coordinator
Email: Jenica.Salazar@fortbendcountytx.gov
Telephone: 281-238-1995
Jenica G. Salazar, Court Coordinator, is responsible for ensuring that the court functions in an efficient and expeditious manner. Mrs. Salazar maintains the court’s criminal, civil and juvenile dockets, performs budgetary duties and answers general inquiries concerning cases filed in County Court at Law No. 4. When submitting your inquiries, please allow a reasonable amount of time for Mrs. Salazar to respond.
Tamara Black, Administrative Assistant
Email: Tamara.Black@fortbendcountytx.gov
Telephone: 281-238-3333
Tamara Black, Administrative Assistant, assists the Court’s Probate Auditor with annual reports and inventories pertaining to decedent’s estates and guardianships.
Kathy Edwards, Probate Auditor
Email: Kathy.Edwards@fortbendcountytx.gov
Telephone: 281-238-3297
Kathy Edwards, Probate Auditor, sets hearings pertaining to decedent’s estates, guardianship matters, mental health, and Richmond State Supported Living Center dockets filed in County Court at Law No. 4. She reviews and audits probate proceedings and can assist the public with general inquiries involving matters filed in our court.
Tiffany Newell, Court Reporter
Email: Tiffany.Newell@fortbendcountytx.gov
Telephone: 281-238-3298
Tiffany Newell is the Official Court Reporter for County Court at Law No. 4. As such, she provides a complete and accurate record of all requested proceedings held by the court. All requests for a transcript must be submitted in writing. Mrs. Newell may be contacted by telephone at 281-238-3298 or by email atTiffany.Newell@fortbendcountytx.gov.
She is pleased to answer and direct any inquiries regarding court cases.
Corey Swiney, Bailiff
Telephone: 281-238-3278
Deputy Swiney provides courtroom security and security to the Judge and her staff.
Judge Toni M. Wallace
Presiding Judge, County Court at Law No. 4
Fort Bend County, Texas
Judge Toni M. Wallace serves as the Presiding Judge of County Court at Law No. 4 in Fort Bend County, Texas, a position she has held since November 2018. She is an experienced jurist with broad general-jurisdiction authority, presiding over adult criminal misdemeanors, juvenile misdemeanor and felony matters, civil cases involving damages up to $200,000, probate proceedings, guardianships, and mental health commitment and forced medication hearings.
Judge Wallace brings to the bench extensive legal experience drawn from her service as both a prosecutor and defense attorney. Her judicial philosophy emphasizes fairness, professionalism, efficiency, and respect for the rule of law, while recognizing the importance of accountability paired with access to appropriate resources and services.
Judicial Leadership & Service
Judge Wallace made history as the first African American woman appointed to a Fort Bend County Court, serving as the inaugural judge of County Court at Law No. 5 in 2016 following a unanimous appointment by Commissioners Court. She later became one of the first African American judges elected countywide in Fort Bend County.
In addition to her duties in County Court at Law No. 4, Judge Wallace has served as Administrative Judge for all six County Courts at Law during multiple terms (2019–2021 and 2024–present). In that role, she has worked to improve court efficiency and case management, including leading efforts that eliminated approximately 70 percent of inactive cases from court dockets.
Since 2022, Judge Wallace has served as Chair of the Fort Bend County Juvenile Board, providing oversight and leadership for juvenile justice policy, programming, and interagency collaboration throughout the county.
Specialty Courts & Innovative Programs
Judge Wallace is widely recognized for her leadership in developing problem-solving courts and specialty programming designed to address the underlying causes of justice involvement.
- CORE Program (Commercially and Sexually Exploited Youth Court):
- County Court at Law No. 4 is designated as a Texas-recognized Specialty Court for the CORE Program, which serves juvenile girls who are at risk of or have been affected by commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
- S.E.A. Court (Supporting Emerging Adults):
- Judge Wallace created S.E.A. Court, a specialty docket designed to support justice-involved young adults ages 18–24. The program focuses on accountability, education, employment readiness, and access to community-based services to reduce recidivism and promote long-term stability.
In addition, Judge Wallace is the founder and host of A.C.T. Now! (Awareness Combats Trafficking), an annual human trafficking awareness and training program serving legal professionals, educators, service providers, and community stakeholders throughout Fort Bend County.
Prior Legal Experience
Before taking the bench, Judge Wallace served as an Assistant District Attorney with the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office, where she prosecuted felony, misdemeanor, juvenile, domestic violence, and drug court cases, engaging in jury trials, juvenile certifications and determinate sentence proceedings.
She also practiced law in private practice, handling criminal defense, juvenile matters, probate, real estate, family law, mediation, and ad litem appointments. Earlier in her career, she practiced insurance defense and real estate law with Houston-area law firms.
Education & Professional Memberships
Judge Wallace earned her Doctor of Jurisprudence from South Texas College of Law, where she received the T. Gerald Treece Heart of an Advocate Award and served as President of the Black Law Students Association. She holds a Bachelor of Journalism in Broadcast News from The University of Texas at Austin.
She is licensed by the State Bar of Texas and is an active member of numerous professional organizations, including:
- National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges
- International Association of Women Judges
- Texas County Court at Law Judges Association
- Houston Lawyers Association
Teaching & Community Engagement
Judge Wallace is also committed to legal education and community outreach. She has served as an adjunct professor teaching Business Law and Ethics and Trial Simulation courses at Texas Woman’s University and Thurgood Marshall School of Law. She is a frequent CLE presenter and speaker on juvenile justice, human trafficking awareness, and trial advocacy.
Her community involvement includes outreach presentations for school districts, youth organizations, professional associations, and civic groups throughout Fort Bend County and the greater Houston area.
Judge Toni M. Wallace remains dedicated to upholding the integrity of the judiciary while promoting efficiency, accessibility, and public trust in the justice system. Through her leadership on the bench and in the community, she continues to work toward a court system that is fair, effective, and responsive to the needs of the citizens of Fort Bend County.
Office Address
Fort Bend County Justice Center
1422 Eugene Heimann Circle, Courtroom 2E
Richmond, TX 77469
Mailing Address
County Court at Law No.4
301 Jackson Street
Richmond, TX 77469
Telephone
281-238-1995
Mission
The mission of the County Courts at Law is to administer justice for misdemeanor criminal cases, civil actions, juvenile matters, probate cases, guardianships and civil mental health cases.
- County Court at Law 1: Honorable Christopher G. Morales
- County Court at Law 2: Honorable Tyra McCollum
- County Court at Law 3: Honorable Juli Mathew
- County Court at Law 4: Honorable Toni Wallace
- County Court at Law 5: Honorable Teana Watson
- County Court at Law 6: Honorable Dean Hrbacek
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