About Justice Guzman

As an elected Republican judge for over a decade, Justice Eva Guzman brings strong conservative values to the Texas judiciary. At the core of her judicial philosophy is a stringent adherence to the rule of law and a firm commitment to consider each case on its merits, without regard to any personal feelings or empathy. She knows a judge’s role is not to legislate from the bench but to interpret statutes and our constitutions as written. These core values, together with a solid work ethic and a commitment to efficient docket management, have defined her service at three levels of the Texas judiciary.

Justice Guzman’s family shares her conservative values and devotion to public service. Her husband of 23 years, Tony Guzman has served as a Houston Police Officer for more than 30 years, inspired by his father, a World War II veteran and prisoner of war. Together, they have instilled this spirit of service to others in their daughter Melanie, who, as a high school student, is an ardent volunteer in her community. As a family, they embrace traditional values and share a deep commitment to God, community, and country.

Eva Guzman’s life journey began in Chicago in the 1960s. Eva is the fourth of seven children with parents who instilled in her a deep respect and appreciation for this country and the rule of law. Eva’s family traveled to Texas in 1968 and settled in Houston’s East End. In their early days, the family struggled financially, but they counted themselves blessed. Her parents preached to their children that a focus on education was the key to success. All seven of their children received college degrees and are now CPAs, Engineers, Lawyers and Business Executives.

In 1999, then-Governor George W. Bush appointed Eva Guzman to the 309th District Court of Harris County where she served as a trial court judge for almost three years. She was subsequently elected to that bench in 2000. Governor Perry recognized her hard work and in 2001, she was appointed to the Houston-based Texas 14th Court of Appeals. Since her elevation to the appellate bench, she has ruled on over two thousand civil and criminal appeals and original proceedings and authored hundreds of published opinions. As a hard working judge on one of our state’s busiest courts, she has consistently received high marks in judicial evaluation polls. She was elected to fill the unexpired term in 2002, and to a full term in 2004.

On October 8, 2009 Eva’s career reached a monumental height and a lifelong dream came true when Governor Rick Perry appointed her to Texas’ highest civil court, the Supreme Court of Texas.

Throughout her entire career, Eva has been dedicated to public service and giving back to her community. She has been recognized by many organizations for her service on and off the bench. This year the Hispanic National Bar Association honored Justice Guzman as “Latina Judge of the Year.” Two Houston area law enforcement organizations, P.O.L.I.C.E., Inc. and Houston Police Officers Union, have selected Justice Guzman as “Appellate Judge of the Year” in prior years. In 2006, Texas Executive Women presented Justice Guzman with a “Woman on the Move” award in recognition of her professional and civic accomplishments.

An active member of the legal community, Justice Guzman holds memberships in a number of professional organizations. She is an elected member of the American Law Institute and a former board member of the Garland Walker American Inns of Court. Justice Guzman has twice received the “Houston Bar Association President’s Award for Outstanding Committee Service.” Justice Guzman formerly served as an appointed member of the Supreme Court of Texas Advisory Committee. In addition, she serves on the Alumni Board of South Texas College of Law.

Justice Guzman serves as an adjunct faculty member at The University of Houston Law Center. She is a frequent presenter and panelist at educational seminars and conferences. For over six years, she has served on the faculty of the American Bar Association’s highly-regarded Family Trial Law Advocacy Institute.

A Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Forum, Justice Guzman has a long track record of community service and has devoted many volunteer hours to organizations committed to children. She has served on the boards of Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates, The Escape Center, Wesley Community Center, and The Chinquapin School, and the Advisory Council of The Salvation Army Boys and Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Houston. Justice Guzman currently serves on the board of the Greater Houston Area Chapter of the American Red Cross.