Texarkana lawyer Craig Henry is Bowie County's next County Court at Law judge.
Because the only two candidates running for County Court at Law judge in Bowie County filed as Republicans, the race was decided in Tuesday's primary, 4,419 to 3,156, according to complete but unofficial results.
"I would like to thank everyone who exercised their right to vote and I look forward to serving the people of Bowie County in the County Court at Law," Henry said. "I would like to congratulate Cary Rochelle on running a very spirited and clean campaign."
Rochelle declined to comment Tuesday night.
Henry, 55, promised voters the creation of a Veteran's Court to address the unique issues facing those who have served their country and find themselves involved in the criminal justice system. Henry has practiced law in Texarkana and surrounding areas for nearly 30 years and has volunteered his time to serve by appointment as a special judge in Miller County and Little River County, Ark., district courts.
Henry has been selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers. He was chosen as a Lawyer of Distinction in 2017 and is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, an invitation-only honorary society that represents fewer than one-half of one percent of American lawyers. Henry has been among the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers for the past six years.
He has been admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, federal 5th and 8th Circuit appellate courts, federal courts in the Eastern, Northern and Southern Districts of Texas, and federal courts in the Western and Eastern Districts of Arkansas. Henry was licensed to practice law in Texas and Arkansas in 1990 and in Oklahoma in 1995.
Rochelle, 59, is a lifelong resident of Bowie County. As a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Arkansas Bar Association, he has practiced family, probate and criminal law and civil litigation. Rochelle has been admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts of the Eastern District of Texas and the Western District of Arkansas and the federal Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Rochelle was previously appointed to serve as master to hear and render decisions for the district judges in domestic relations cases. He is certified as a mediator and guardianship attorney.
Rochelle is a fourth-generation Texas High School graduate and an Eagle Scout. He served as assistant scoutmaster for Troop 86 of Williams Memorial United Methodist Church and the Caddo Area Council Executive Board. Rochelle served as president of the local Texas Exes, was president and treasurer of the Pleasant Grove Athletic Booster Club and volunteered as a youth coach for the Pleasant Grove Youth Association.