Hon. John T. Wooldridge

Houston, Texas

Education +-

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 +-

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)
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 +-

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

Seminar/Speaking/Authoring +-

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).