Hon. Paul Davis

Austin, Texas

Judge Paul Davis was judge of the 200th District Court in Travis County from 1983 until his retirement December 31, 2004. Prior to serving on the bench, Judge Davis practiced in Austin for 13 years. Since his retirement from the bench, Judge Davis has served as a mediator, arbitrator and private judge in hundreds of cases and sits regularly as a visiting judge by assignment. He has been appointed to arbitrate numerous disputes of many types ranging from non-subscriber cases to complex commercial and family law matters, both as a single arbitrator and as a member or chair of a panel of arbitrators.

Education  + -

  • Texas College for Judicial Studies
    2004
  • University of Texas School of Law
    J.D.   1970
  • University of Tulsa
    B.A.   1967

Experience  + -

  • Mediation, Arbitration, Private Judge
    2005-present
  • Senior District Judge
    2005-present
  • 200th Judicial District Court, Travis County, Texas
    Judge   1983-2004
  • Supreme Court of Texas
    Gender Fairness Task Force   1999 - 2004
  • Supreme Court of Texas
    Child Support Guidelines Advisory Committee   1999 - 2004
  • Supreme Court of Texas
    Member & Drafting Committee   1999 - 2004
  • Supreme Court of Texas
    Judicial Edu Committee   1999 - 2004
  • Texas Board of Legal Specialization
    Board Certified, Family Law   1977-1993
  • State of Texas
    Admitted to practice   1970

Memberships & Affiliations  + -

  • University of Texas School of Law
    Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity   1970
  • University of Texas School of Law
    Editor, University of Texas Law Forum   1970
  • State Bar of Texas: Judicial Section
    Executive Committee   1993 - 1999
  • State Bar of Texas
    Responsible Civil Justice Committee   1995
  • State Bar of Texas: District 9 Grievance Committee
    Member and Secretary   1978 - 1981
  • State Bar of Texas Chair: Judicial Section
    Ethics Committee   2010 - 2014
  • Travis County Bar Association
    Director   1987 - 1989
  • Travis County Bar Association
    Chair, Committee on Admissions   1973 - 1974
  • Texas Trial Lawyers Association
    Director   1975 - 1980
  • Texas Trial Lawyers Association
    Assistant Family Law Legislative Coordinator   1978 - 1981
  • Texas Center for the Judiciary
    Member, Board of Directors   2014 - Present
  • Judicial Section Ethics Committee
    Member and Past Chair   2010 - Present
  • Judicial Section, State Bar of Texas
    Member, Board of Directors   1999 - 2001
  • Texas Center for the Judiciary
    Faculty   1992 - Present
  • Texas College for New Judges
    Faculty   1992 - Present
  • Leadership Institute
    Judicial Education   1992
  • National Judicial College
    Faculty Advisor, General Jurisdiction Course   1990
  • University of Texas Legal
    Assistant Certificate Program Advisory Committee   1991 - 1995
  • Texas Multidisciplinary: Children’s Justice
    Task Force   1989 - 1993
  • Court Appointed Special Advocates of Travis County
    Founding Member & Director   1986 - 1992
  • New Life Institute
    Director   1993 - 1996
  • United Way/Capital Area
    Board Member   1991 - 1992
  • Pebble Project and Child Assault Prevention Program
    Director   1988 - 1990
  • Child & Family Service of Austin
    Director   1985 - 1987

Honors & Awards  + -

  • Chair’s Award of Excellence for Outstanding Service to the Judiciary
    2016
  • Exemplary Article Award, Texas Center for the Judiciary
    2014
  • Judicial Excellence in Education Award for Outstanding Judicial Faculty
    2006

Speaking / Authoring / Seminars  + -

Representative Speeches and Articles

“Ethics In and Out of the Courtroom,” Texas College for New Judges (with Seana Willing, Executive Director of Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct) 2015-2017

“Who’s in Charge of the Courtroom,” Texas College for New Judges (with Judge Mark Atkinson and Judge David Peeples) 2014-2017

“Contempt of Court,” presented to several Texas Center for the Judiciary seminars 2013-2014

“Jury Management: Qualifications and Voir Dire,” Texas College for Judicial Studies 2013

“Contempt Series” published in five parts (Spring 2008 – Volume 35, No. 1 through Spring 2010 – Volume 37, No. 2), In Chambers, the official publication of the Texas Center for the Judiciary

“Issues in Business Cases: Pre-Trial, Masters, Receivers, TRO’s,” Texas College for Judicial Studies 2008 & 2012

“Dealing With Difficult People,” Texas Center for the Judiciary, You Asked For It, You Got It Conference Aug. 2004

“Evidence,” Texas College for New Judges Nov. 2003

“So You Think You Can’t Be Sued,” Texas Center for the Judiciary, You Asked For It, You Got It Conference Aug. 2003

“Contempt: Making it Stick,” Associate Judges/IV-D Masters Conference July 2003

“Permissible Communications,” Texas College for Judicial Studies May 2003

“Ex parte Communications,” Texas College for New Judges Dec. 2002

“Evidence,” Texas College for New Judges Dec. 2002

Travis County Local Rules Seminar (with Judge David Phillips) Apr. 2001

“Maintaining Dignity in the Courts,” Mississippi Trial and Appellate Judges Fall Conference, (with Judge Kent Sims) Oct. 2000

“Contempt of Court,” Arkansas Judicial College and Judicial Council Meeting Oct. 2000

“Maintaining the Dignity of the Courts,” Texas Center for the Judiciary, Regional Conferences (with Judge Lamar McCorkle and Judge Kent Sims) Spring 2000

“Deposition Practice Under the New Rules,” Evidence and Procedure Symposium, State Bar of Texas 1999

Discovery Strategies & Techniques Seminar, State Bar of Texas 1998

Strategic Representation Institute, State Bar of Texas 1997

“Top 10 Problems to Avoid in Travis County Trial Presentations,” Travis County Bar Association 1995

“Judicial Liability – So You Think You Can’t Be Sued?” Texas College for New Judges 1993-2012

“Contempt,” Texas College for New Judges 1992-2000

“The Trouble with Sanctions Hearings” 1990

“Missing and Exploited Children,” Tennessee Joint Conference on Juvenile Justice Aug. 1989

“The Balanced Approach for Juvenile Justice – A Challenge from the Bench,” 39 Juvenile and Family Court Journal #3, p 51 1988

“A Brief, Expurgated History of the Recommendations of the Child Support Advisory Committee (with John Sampson),” Family Law Section Report (State Bar of Texas), #1 1987

“Visitation Guidelines: A Judge’s Perspective,” Family Law Section Report (State Bar of Texas), #6 1987

“A Balanced Approach to Juvenile Justice,” Southern Legislators Conference on Children and Youth Nov. 1987

“The Professional’s Testimony: A View from the Bench” 1987

“Decision Making Points in the Judicial System” 1987

“Evidentiary Problems: Similar Events, Business Records, Medical Records and Government Records,” American Trial Lawyers Association, Advanced College of Trial Advocacy Aug. 1987

“Division & Disposition of the Marital Estate,” State Bar of Texas, Divorce Seminar 1984

“The Use of the Expert Witness in the Trial of Divorce Custody Cases,” SMU Symposium for Specialists on Texas Family Law and Community Property 1980

“Contempt – Getting ‘Em Out of Jail,” Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Family Law Seminar Oct. 1977