Hon. Kathleen S. Stone

Houston, Texas

Judge Kathleen Stone is a Senior State District Judge and a Senior Statutory Probate Judge who has been practicing civil, family and probate trial law since 1979. Licensed to practice in Texas, she is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, has been a full time Civil District Judge or Visiting Judge since 1991 and was a Statutory Probate Judge in Harris County from 2008 through 2010 and a Visiting Probate Judge around the state since 2011.

Kathleen has extensive experience as a mediator and arbitrator of civil and probate disputes. Judge Stone has also been frequently appointed  by the courts to serve as a special discovery master and/or special judge. Further she is often requested to serve as a Visiting Judge in civil and criminal courts in the Eleventh Administrative Judicial Region of Texas and as a visiting Statutory Probate Judge  around the state of Texas. 

Judge Stone was elected to the 55th Judicial District Civil Court in Harris County, Texas in November of 1990. She was re-elected to the bench without opposition in November of 1993 and served until December 1998. During her tenure on the bench, she tried hundreds of civil cases including commercial/business cases as well as personal injury and products liability claims. In November 2008, Judge Stone was the first woman ever elected to any Probate Bench in Harris County, where she served as Judge of Harris County Probate Court # 1 until December 31, 2010. During her time as a Statutory Probate Judge, she tried a number of complex probate cases to a jury including Will contests, wrongful death cases and medical malpractice cases.

Education  + -

  • South Texas College of Law - Houston, Texas
    Doctor Jurisprudence
  • National Judicial College
  • National College of Probate Judges
  • Oklahoma State University - Stillwater, Ok
    Bachelor of Science   l969

Experience  + -


  • Mediator and Arbitrator   Present
  • Sitting by Assignment
    Senior Judge   Present
  • Court #1, Harris County
    Judge of Statutory Probate   2008 to 2010
  • Sitting by Assignment
    Senior Judge   1999 to 2008
  • Pursuant to Chapter 151 of Texas Civil Practice and Remedy Code
    Special Judge   1999 to 2008

  • Certified Mediator   1999 to 2008

  • Certified Arbitrator   1999 to 2008
  • 55th Judicial Civil District Court, Harris County, Texas
    Judge   1991 to 1998
  • General Practice
    Attorney at Law   1979 to 1990
  • State of Texas
    Licensed Attorney   1979

Memberships & Affiliations  + -

  • Board Certified
    Personal Injury Trial Law Board of Legal Specialization
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • Campaign for the Homeless Committee
  • Continuing Legal Education Committee
  • Will-A-Thon
    Volunteer
  • Legal Line
    Volunteer
  • Year of Giving
    Blood Donor
  • Texas Bar Association
    Member
  • Houston Bar Association
    Member
  • Association of Women Attorneys
    Member
  • Houston Bar Foundation
    Sustaining Life Fellow
  • Texas Bar Foundation
    Life Fellow
  • Association of Women Attorneys Foundation
    Founding Fellow
  • Texas Association of District Judges
    Past President
  • Harris County Board of Civil Judges
    Past Secretary
  • Mass Torts Committee - Harris County Board of Civil Judges
    Past Member
  • Technology Committee - Harris County Board of Judges
    Past Head
  • Justice Information Management System
    Executive Board Member
  • Judicial Section of the State Bar of Texas
    Past member of Committee on Judicial Ethics
  • Houston Bar Association
    Distinguished Faculty/Moderator
  • Texas Bar Association
    Speaker & CLE Moderator
  • University of Texas Law School
    Speaker & CLE Moderator
  • University of Houston Law School
    Speaker/CLE Moderator/Judge-Moot-Court
  • South Texas College of Law
    Speaker/CLE Moderator/ Judge - Moot Court
  • Speaker on National Breast Implant Panel

Honors & Awards  + -

  • “Whose Who Among American Colleges and Universities”
    1979
  • “Woman Of Excellence” - Federation of Houston Professional Women
    1993