Hon. Renee Rodriguez-Betancourt, Edinburg

Judge Renee Rodriguez-Betancourt was elected to the 449th Judicial Court in Hidalgo County in 2017 and, when elected, she was the youngest District Judge in Texas. She presides over juvenile cases and provides youth with an opportunity for rehabilitation while simultaneously ensuring the general public’s safety. Her court has made significant progress in developing and implementing initiatives designed to improve the interactions between the justice system and juvenile cases.

A native of Edinburg, Texas, Judge Rodriguez-Betancourt earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Texas Pan-American. She is a 2005 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin School of Law. Judge Rodriguez-Betancourt is a recipient of the prestigious Outstanding Young Texas Ex Award for her significant achievement in her career and service to the University of Texas.

Before becoming a judge, Judge Rodriguez-Betancourt was in private practice for ten years handling federal and state criminal, family law, and personal injury cases and served as legal counsel for several local school districts. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Texas Bar Foundation, State Bar of Texas Juvenile Law Section, and the Hidalgo County Bar Association.