ShareHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
FORT WORTH — A Fort Worth criminal defense attorney with strong ties to the local Republican Party was appointed today by Gov. Rick Perry to the newly-created 432nd District Court in Tarrant County.
Ruben Gonzalez Jr., 46, will be the second Hispanic to currently hold a countywide judicial post in the 19 misdemeanor and felony criminal courts. Gov. Perry's office called the other 10 candidates — which included two other Hispanics, an African-American, four women, and more than half of whom are prosecutors — earlier today to inform them that they did not get the appointment.State Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, said that she signed off on Gonzales' appointment."I think Ruben will serve us well," she said. "We called the governor's office to tell them that we wholeheartedly support his appointment."Gonzalez, who has 11 years experience as a defense attorney and two years as a prosecutor, is a graduate of Creighton University Law School in Nebraska. A native of San Antonio, Gonzalez is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and served in Desert Storm. He is a board member of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and is active in several local Republican clubs. Tarrant County officials said the courtroom is currently being renovated and is expected to be ready for business by Oct. 1.ANTHONY SPANGLER, 817-390-7420
@Nyx.CommentBody@