“I am running for re-election to the First Court of Appeals because I am deeply committed to serving our community and upholding our system of justice. My record is clear: deep legal experience, a strong work ethic, and a steadfast commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law.
As the only candidate with judicial experience in my race, I bring sound judgment to the Court and will be ready on day one to continue the hard work this job requires. I hope to earn your trust and your vote in the November 3 general election. It will be a privilege to continue serving you, our community, and the State of Texas.”
- Justice Veronica Rivas-Molloy
About Justice Rivas-Molloy
For the past five years, I have proudly served as a Justice on the First Court of Appeals, where I have authored more than 250 reasoned majority opinions and participated in the resolution of countless more appeals involving civil, criminal, probate, and family law matters.
Before joining the Court, I practiced law for 20 years, representing individuals, small businesses, and multinational companies in complex litigation and appellate matters in state and federal courts and before domestic and international arbitration tribunals. My work spanned a wide range of disputes, including oil and gas, real estate, healthcare, construction, employment, trade secrets, and complex commercial matters.
After graduating with honors from the University of Texas at El Paso with a major in Criminal Justice and Spanish, and magna cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center, where I served as an Articles Editor for the Houston Law Review, I clerked for the Hon. Ewing Werlein, Jr. of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. I later practiced law at Baker Botts LLP and Jones Walker LLP, where I further developed the analytical, writing, and advocacy skills essential to appellate practice. While in private practice, I also served as a volunteer prosecutor for the City of Houston where I tried numerous jury trials.
Although I have called Houston home for the last 28 years, I am a first-generation immigrant who grew up on the El Paso–Juárez border. From an early age, my parents instilled in me the value of hard work, dedication, and integrity. They taught me the value of believing in myself and taking pride in everything I do. They sacrificed so that I could reach goals and dreams beyond their own. With their help, I became the first person in my family to graduate from college and attend law school. In everything I do, I remember their hard work and sacrifice.
It has been the honor of my career to serve on the First Court of Appeals. I hope to earn your trust and your vote in the November 3 general election. It will be a privilege to continue serving you, our community, and the State of Texas.
Judicial Experience
Justice Veronica Rivas-Molloy is the only candidate in her race with proven judicial experience. She was elected to the First Court of Appeals in November 2020. During her five years on the court, she has authored hundreds of carefully reasoned majority opinions and worked on countless more appeals involving civil, criminal, probate, and family law matters—applying the law faithfully and fairly. She has built a record defined by integrity, scholarship, and unwavering commitment to the rule of law. Her record is clear: deep legal experience, a strong work ethic, and a steadfast commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law. She approaches every case with impartiality, respect for precedent, and dedication to ensuring that every litigant receives a fair hearing.
Record of Excellence
Justice Rivas-Molloy has consistently been rated “Excellent” by a majority of bar members in every HBA Judicial Evaluation Questionnaire conducted since 2021 (the questionnaire is conducted every odd year). Lawyers rated her “excellent” in her ability to write “well-reasoned, clearly-written” opinions, in her interactions with counsel during oral arguments, in her ability to determine “legal issues impartially and based on thorough and proper application of the law to the facts,” and in her strong work ethic.
Just recently, in February 2026, Justice Rivas-Molloy also won the State Bar of Texas Judicial Poll where lawyers across Texas selected her, among all candidates in her race, as the overwhelming choice for re-election to the First Court of Appeals.
A first-generation college graduate and attorney, Justice Rivas-Molloy is the first immigrant elected to the First Court of Appeals and only the third Hispanic woman to serve on the Court. Her judicial service has earned statewide and national recognition, including recognitions for:
Judicial Leadership Award (2025) - National Hispanic Bar Foundation
Judge of the Year (2024) - Hispanic Bar Association of Houston
These honors reflect not only Justice Rivas-Molloy's distinguished service on the court, but also her dedication to fairness, professionalism, and equal justice under the law.
25 Years of Legal Experience
Before taking the bench, Justice Rivas-Molloy built a distinguished career as a trial and appellate lawyer. She began her legal career clerking for the Hon. Ewing Werlein Jr. in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas where she worked on numerous civil matters and assisted with trials before federal court. She later practiced at Baker Botts, LLP and Jones Walker, LLP where she handled complex business litigation and was recognized as a rising star in business litigation. She represented clients across Texas, throughout the United States, and internationally in state and federal courts, including county courts at law, district courts, appellate courts, and before domestic and international arbitral tribunals. She represented individuals, small businesses, and multinational corporations in disputes involving oil and gas operations, real estate, healthcare, construction, personal injury, employment matters, trade secrets, non-compete and restrictive covenants, and a diverse range of complex contractual and business-related matters.
Fluent in Spanish, Justice Rivas-Molloy also represented international clients in cross-border matters. In addition, Justice Rivas-Molloy served as a volunteer prosecutor for the City of Houston where she tried numerous jury trials and gained firsthand courtroom experience.
Justice Rivas-Molloy’s commitment to excellence began with her education. She graduated with honors from the University of Texas at El Paso, earning a double major in Criminal Justice and Spanish. She received her law degree magna cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center, where she served on the Houston Law Review and was inducted into the Order of the Coif and the Order of the Barons—distinctions reflecting academic excellence and leadership.
Proud Mother and Wife
Beyond her service on the bench, Justice Rivas-Molloy is a proud mother and wife. For 24 years, she and her husband, David, have built a strong, faith-filled home rooted in love, respect, and shared responsibility. Together, they have raised three sons with the values of hard work, integrity, and service to others.
Whether cheering from the sidelines at sporting events, traveling together to experience new places, or simply enjoying quality time at home, Justice Rivas-Molloy treasures the everyday moments with her family. She knows that strong families, safe communities, and equal justice under the law go hand in hand. Strong families instill values. Safe communities reinforce them. And a judiciary committed to applying the law as written protects them.
Dedication to Service
Justice Rivas-Molloy’s dedication to justice extends beyond the courtroom. She previously served as pro bono General Counsel for Holy Trinity Episcopal School of Greater Houston and represented women and unaccompanied minors in immigration proceedings, as well as individuals in a range of civil disputes. She is a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and a Life Fellow of the Houston Bar Foundation—recognition reserved for attorneys who demonstrate outstanding professional achievement and commitment to the community.
With a proven track record of judicial and legal excellence, Justice Veronica Rivas-Molloy is the right choice for the First Court of Appeals, where she will continue to work with excellence, hard work, and dedication to the rule of law.