About Judge Mayfield

         After being nominated by Commissioner Jack Morman, Debra Ibarra Mayfield was unanimously appointed by the Commissioners’ Court as presiding judge of Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 1 on October 11, 2011.  Subsequently, she was elected by the citizens of Harris County on November 6, 2012.  Before taking the bench, she was a partner in the law firm of Rymer, Moore, Jackson & Echols, P.C., where she handled all phases of litigation for a wide variety of clients statewide and maintained an active appellate practice.  She has served the courts as a bilingual guardian ad litem and as a special commissioner in eminent domain proceedings.  She is also a past president of the Mexican-American Bar Association of Houston.

         Judge Mayfield is part of the first generation in her family to attend college.  She received her undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and her law degree from South Texas College of Law.  Serving the citizens of Harris County in the civil courthouse has a special significance for Judge Mayfield.  Her father, who was a sheet metal fabricator, was part of the team that fabricated the iconic star that now rests on top of the civil courthouse.  Judge Mayfield and her husband, Eric, a veteran and former Captain in the U.S. Army, are the proud parents of two young children.

         She presides over one of four County Civil Courts at Law, which has constitutional jurisdiction of the county courts and concurrent jurisdiction with the district courts in civil cases in which the matter-in-controversy exceeds $500, but does not exceed $200,000. 

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