Hon. Katie Kennedy

Houston, Texas

Judge Kennedy is married to the Rev. Andrew B. Noel, who is the District Superintendent for the Central South District of the Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church. She is the proud mother of Rebecca Noel, who attends high school at The Kinkaid School. She is also the proud stepmother of Katherine Noel Wells, who is a graduate of the University of Mississippi and licensed realtor.

Education  + -

  • Rhodes College
    B.A. Summa Cum Laude   1981
  • Vanderbilt University School of Law
    Juris Doctor   1984

Experience  + -

  • Vanderbilt Law Review
    Associate Editor   1984
  • Senior US Circuit Judge Bailey Brown on 6th Circuit Court of Appeals
    Law Clerk
  • Bracewell, LLP
    Commercial Litigation   1985 to 1992
  • 164th District Court
    1992 to 1996
  • District Court
    Re-Elected   1996 to 1999
  • Courts of the State of Texas
    Assigned Judge   2000 to 2016
  • Mediated and Arbitrated
  • Court Appointed
    Special Master

Memberships & Affiliations  + -

  • Admitted to practice: Texas and Georgia State Courts
  • Admitted to practice: US Supreme Court
  • Admitted to practice: US Court of Appeals for 5th - 6th - 10th circuits
  • Admitted to practice: US District Court for Southern and Western Districts of Texas
  • Texas Ethics Commission
    Commissioner   2016 to Present
  • Texas Access to Justice Commission
    Commissioner   2007 to 2013
  • Texas Bar Foundation
  • Houston Bar Foundation
  • Houston Bar Association
  • Houston Lawyer Referral Service
    Board Member
  • Harris County Dispute Resolution Center
    Previous Member on the Board

Honors & Awards  + -

  • Judicial Candidate Qualification Poll, Well Qualified
    2010
  • Houston Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Poll, Outstanding Rating of 73.7%
    2005
  • Houston Bar Association’s 1999 Judicial Evaluation Poll, Highest Ratings of any state district judge
    1999
  • One of three judges statewide appointed by the Texas Supreme Court as a member of the Judicial Campaign Finance Study Committee
    1998
  • Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists, Trial Judge of the Year
    1999
  • Houston Chronicle and Texas Executive Women, Women on the Move award
    1999