Hon. John T. Wooldridge
Houston, Texas
Education + -
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Tulane Law School, New Orleans, Louisiana
LL.M. in Admiralty 1991 -
St. Mary’s University School of Law, San Antonio, Texas
J.D. 1987 -
Texas Christian University, Ft. Worth, Texas
BFA 1981
Experience + -
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Houston, Texas - District
Former Judge, Mediator, Arbitrator & Umpire 2013 to Present -
11th, 58th, 60th, 61st, 165th, 189th, 190th, 295th Judicial District Court (Harris County - Civil)
Visiting Judge Assignment 2013 to Present -
184th, 185th, 248th, 284th, 337th, 351st Judicial District Court (Harris County – Criminal)
Visiting Judge Assignment 2013 to Present -
252nd, 247th, 257th, 279th, 280th, 312th Judicial District Court (Jefferson County - Family)
Visiting Judge Assignment 2013 to Present -
329th Judicial District Court (Wharton County – General Juris.)
Visiting Judge Assignment 2013 to Present -
Harris County Civil Court At Law No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 (Harris County – Civil)
Visiting Judge Assignment 2013 to Present -
Harris County Felony Project Court No. 2 (Harris County – Criminal)
Visiting Judge Assignment 2013 to Present -
Harris County Criminal Court At Law No. 2, No. 8 (Harris County – Criminal)
Visiting Judge Assignment 2013 to Present -
Jefferson County Court At Law No. 1 (Jefferson County – Civil)
Visiting Judge Assignment 2013 to Present -
Jefferson County Criminal Court At Law No. 3 (Jefferson County – Criminal)
Visiting Judge Assignment 2013 to Present -
Ensco plc, Houston, Texas - Corporate Compliance
Senior Legal Counsel & Director 2011 to 2013 -
Baker Hughes Incorporated, Houston, Texas - Audits & Investigations
Senior Legal Counsel 2008 to 2011 -
269th Judicial District Court, Houston, Texas
Presiding, District Court Judge 1997 to 2008 -
Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary, Washington, DC
United States Military Judge 2004 to 2008 -
Fitzhugh & Thompson, P.C., Houston, Texas
Partner & Mediator 1995 to 1997 -
Royston, Rayzor, Vickery & Williams, LLP, Houston, Texas
Associate Attorney 1991 to 1995 -
Department of Justice, United States Attorney’s Office, Gulfport, Mississippi
Special Assistant United States Attorney 1989 to 1991 -
South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas; Courses: Civil Trial Advocacy, Admiralty and Maritime Personal Injury
Adjunct Professor of Law 1993 to 2008 -
Rice University, Glasscock School of Continuing Studies, Houston, Texas
Lecturer: Ethics in Business, Medicine/Science and Politics/Government 2006 -
Air University, United States Air Force Judge Advocate General’s School, Maxwell AFB
Lecturer: Sixth Amendment Confrontation Clause 2005 -
U.S. Navy: Judge Advocate General’s Corps (Retired)
Captain (O6) 2015 - Present -
U.S. Navy: Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Senior Counsel, Navy Reserve, Region Legal Service Office, Europe, Africa, Southwest Asia
Captain (O6) 2013 - 2015 -
U.S. Navy: Navy Reserve, Region Legal Service Office, Hawaii
Senior Military Justice Officer 2010 - 2013 -
U.S. Navy: Navy Reserve, Region Legal Service Office, Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia
Commanding Officer 2008 - 2010 -
U.S. Navy: Joint Task Force Legal Advisor, Combatant Status Review Tribunals
Legal Advisor 2007 - 2008 -
U.S. Navy Base Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Office for the Administrative Review of the Detention of Enemy Combatants (OARDEC) -
Commander U.S. Naval Forces, Japan
Deputy Command Judge Advocate 2003 - 2004 -
Commander U.S. Naval Forces, Yokosuka, Japan
Acting Force Inspector General 2002 - 2003 -
U.S. Navy: Judge Advocate General’s Corps, Reserve Assignments
1991 - 2002 -
U.S. Navy: Judge Advocate General’s Corps (Active Duty); Service during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm (first Gulf War) (Honorable Discharge)
Prosecutor, Staff Judge Advocate, Command Advisor 1986 - 1991
Memberships & Affiliations + -
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The Ralph A. Johnston Foundation for Charitable Purposes, Houston, Texas
Board of Directors 2015 to Present -
The University of Texas Parents’ Association, Austin, Texas
Advisory Board of Directors 2013 to Present -
Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, Texas
University Board of Trustees 2006 to 2010 -
Episcopal High School, Bellaire, Texas
Board of Trustees, Chairman, Audit Committee 2005 to 2009 -
The Oaks at Briargrove School, Houston, Texas
Advisory Board of Directors 1998 to Present - State Bar of Texas
- Texas Bar Foundation
- Houston Bar Foundation
- Houston Bar Association
- U.S. District Courts, Southern District of Texas
- Association of Attorney-Mediators
- The National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
- The Texas Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
- Maritime Law Association of the United States
Honors & Awards + -
- Meritorious Service Medal (Three Awards)
- Navy Commendation Medal (Three Awards)
- Navy Achievement Medal
- National Defense Service Medal (with Bronze Star)
- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
- Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Bronze Hourglass)
- United States Department of Justice, Award for Public Service
- Profile In Professionalism, Houston Bar Association
- Ernst John Watts Memorial Scholarship Award, for Capital Litigation, from the National Judicial College
- National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
- Distinguished Alumni, McAllen High School
Speaking / Authoring / Seminars + -
Published Law Journal: “Barratry by Exceeding the Navigational Limit of the Insurance Policy.” Journal of Maritime Law and Commerce, Vol. 24, No. 2, April, 1993 (Author).
Law and Legal Practice: “Effective Arbitration Advocacy.” Houston Maritime Arbitrators Association, September 22, 2015 (Lecturer).
“Cross-Border E-Discovery: Exploding Issues & Complexities for U.S., Foreign Corporations Operating Globally.” Huron Legal Institute, May 3, 2011 (Panelist / Lecturer).
“Career 360: Judiciary Roundtable.” 43rd Annual National Convention, National Black Law Students Association (NLBSA), March 11, 2011 (Panelist).
“The Law and Ethics of War: Guantanamo Bay.” Jewish Ethics Institute Series on American & Talmudic Law, January 2010 (Lecturer).
“Trial Court Practice and Procedure.” Christian Trial Lawyers Association, August 23, 2007 (Lecturer).
“Ethics in Business, Medicine/Science and Politics/Government.” Rice University, Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies, September 2006 (Keynote Speaker).
“Ethics in Insurance.” Houston Claims Association, Houston, Texas, February 8, 2006 (Lecturer).
“American Jury System.” Memorial High School, Houston, Texas, May 2005 (Lecturer).
“Texas Legal System.” Episcopal High School, Houston, Texas, January 25, 2006 & February 1, 2006 (Lecturer).
“Judicial Perspectives on Insurance Litigation.” South Texas College of Law, Insurance Symposium, January 27, 2006 (CLE Lecturer / Panelist).
“Expert Witnesses: Two Gates Can Seal Their Fate.” The Advocate, State Bar Litigation Section Report, Symposium on Expert Witnesses, Volume 33, Winter 2005 (Co-Author).
“Practice in Harris County Civil District Courts in the 21st Century.” Houston Bar Association CLE, November 18, 2005 (CLE Lecturer).
“Texas Jury Selection.” Houston Bar Association, Houston Public Access Channel, May 2005. (HBA Television Program).
“Crawford vs. Washington: The Chaos of Confrontation.” Air University, United States Air Force Judge Advocate General School, Montgomery, Alabama, April 2005. (CLE Lecturer).
“Professionalism in the Court.” Ten-Minute Mentor Video, Texas Young Lawyers Association, Texas Bar CLE, November 2004. (CLE Lecturer – Internet / Video).
“How to Avoid Mistakes at Trial.” South Texas College of Law’s Automobile Injury Conference, Houston, Texas, March 2004. (CLE Lecturer).
“Jury Trial Innovations.” South Texas College of Law’s Advanced Civil Trial Law Conference, Houston, Texas, February 2004 (CLE Lecturer).
“Jury Interrogation of Witnesses.” The Houston Lawyer, Vol. 41, No. 1, July/August 2003. (Author).
“Awesome Arguments, closing arguments by Joseph D. Jamail, Charles A. Mathis, Jr., Lisa Blue and Willie E. Gary.” American Bar Association, Litigation Section, Annual Conference, Houston, Texas, April 2003 (Moderator).
“New Courthouse Construction and Technology Issues: A Partnership with the Local Bar Association.” American Bar Association, Mid-Winter Meeting, National Conference of Bar Presidents, Metropolitan Bar Caucus, Seattle, Washington, February 2003 (Panelist/Lecturer).
“The Home Stretch: Preparing Your Personal Injury Case From 60 Days Out.” Civil / Appellate Bench Bar Conference, Houston Bar Association, Galveston, Texas, May 2003 (Panelist/Lecturer).
“Technology in the Courtroom.” American Bar Association, Litigation Section, Courtroom Technology Program, Houston, Texas, April 2003 (Panelist/Lecturer).
“Maritime Discovery Issues in State Court.” Houston Mariner’s Club, December 2002 (CLE Lecturer).
“The Bench Live: The Latest from the Judges on Practice in their Courts.” Houston Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education Seminar, December 2002 (CLE Lecturer / Author).
“Effective Trial and Case Administration: Problems & Solutions.” Houston Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education Seminar, April 2002 (CLE Lecturer).
“Allowing Jurors to Ask Questions During Trial.” Houston Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education Seminar, September 2002 (Author / CLE Lecturer).
“Competency of Insane Persons to Testify, Texas Rules of Evidence, Rule 601(a)(1).” The Houston Lawyer, Vol. 39, No. 2, September / October 2001. (Author).
“The New Rules: A View from the Bench.” State Bar of Texas, Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Advanced Personal Injury Seminar, Summer 1999 (CLE Lecturer / Author).
“The Court’s Charge.” State Bar of Texas, Continuing Legal Education Seminar, Advance Civil Trial Seminar, Summer 1999 (CLE Lecturer).
“The New Civil Justice Center – An Update for the Bar.” Pocket Parts, Houston Young Lawyers Association, Vol. LXIV, No. 6, November 2000. (Author).
“The New Civil Justice Center.” Benchmark, The HTLA Newsletter, Houston Trial Lawyers Association, Winter 2001 (Author).
Corporate Compliance and Ethics:
“Detecting Corruption in Your Local Operations: How to Conduct Effective Risk Assessments in High Risk Markets.” American Conference Institute, FCPA Boot Camp, January 24, 2013 (Panelist/Lecturer).
“Detecting Supply Chain Risks; How to Effectively Audit & Monitor Your Existing Third Parties’ FCPA Compliance.” American Conference Institute, FCPA Boot Camp, January 23, 2013 (Panelist/Lecturer).
“Comprehending the Concerns Involved with the Facilitating Payment Provision of the FCPA.” Marcus Evans, 9th Edition, FCPA and Anti-Corruption Compliance Conference, September 20, 2012 (Lecturer).
“Compliance and Risk for the Energy Sector: Challenges in the Dodd-Frank Era.”
Compliance Week Editorial Roundtable, hosted by Compliance Week and Deloitte,
February 16, 2011 (Roundtable Participant).
“Global Compliance.” Noble Energy, Inc., Compliance and Ethics Summit, November
2010 (Lecturer).