U.S. Department of Justice — Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG)
Helps Fort Bend law-enforcement officers secure essential equipment and training.
7 years
On the bench since 2019
A Voter’s Brief — Fort Bend County
Re-Elect
Judge
Juli
Mathew
County Court at Law No. 3
D
Grounded in experience. Driven by community.
15+ years
Practicing attorney
First.
Indian-American woman elected to a U.S. bench
1
Founded Fort Bend’s first Juvenile Intervention & Mental Health Court
§1Meet the Judge
A judge for Fort Bend — grounded in seven years on the bench.
Presiding Judge, County Court at Law No. 3 — Fort Bend County, Texas.
Born in Kerala, India and raised in Philadelphia, Judge Juli A. Mathew built her legal career in Texas across Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery, Galveston, and Brazoria counties — spending fifteen years as a practicing attorney before being elected to the bench in November 2018. In doing so, she made history as the first Indian-American woman elected to any bench in the United States, and the first Asian-American woman ever elected in Fort Bend County.
She has now served as Presiding Judge of Fort Bend County Court at Law No. 3 for seven years — presiding over criminal, juvenile, civil, mental health, probate, guardianship, eminent domain, and Justice-of-the-Peace appellate matters. Her colleagues elected her Administrative Judge of the County Courts during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she coordinated emergency operations across multiple courts to keep access to justice open.
Outside the courtroom she is a devoted wife and mother to three daughters. She is fluent in English and Malayalam, and raises her family in the same county she serves.
- Undergraduate
- Pennsylvania State University, B.A. (1999)
Sociology & Administration of Justice - Law School
- Delaware Law School, J.D. (2002)
- On the Bench
- Sworn in January 1, 2019
Elected November 2018; re-elected 2022 - Adjunct Professor
- University of Houston Law Center
Professional Strategic Writing, 2023–present
It has been an honor to serve the people of Fort Bend County as your Presiding Judge of County Court at Law No. 3 for the past seven years. I humbly ask for your continued support as I seek re-election for my third term.Juli Mathew Presiding Judge · Fort Bend County Court at Law No. 3
§2What This Court Decides
The work of County Court at Law No. 3.
Court at Law No. 3 touches the lives of Fort Bend residents in ways most people only see once — criminal cases, family safety, mental health, estates, and the appeals from the courts closest to home.
No. 01
Criminal misdemeanors
Class A and Class B cases — DWIs, theft, assault — presided over with due process and an eye to community safety.
No. 02
Civil disputes
Lawsuits involving monetary damages up to $250,000 — personal injury, contract disputes, and eminent domain.
No. 03
Mental-health commitments
Civil commitments to ensure individuals in crisis receive the care and protection the law affords them.
No. 04
Juvenile justice
Cases involving Fort Bend’s young people — the place where rehabilitation and accountability meet.
No. 05
Probate & guardianship
Validating wills, overseeing estates, and supervising guardians for incapacitated adults and minors.
No. 06
JP & municipal appeals
Appellate review of decisions from Justice-of-the-Peace and municipal courts across the county.
§3Beyond the docket
Five programs Judge Mathew built from scratch.
Most judges hear cases. A few build the institutions that change how cases get heard. These are hers.
i.
Juvenile Intervention & Mental Health Court (JIMH)
Fort Bend’s first specialty court of its kind — approved unanimously by Commissioners, now studied by universities and replicated by courts across Texas. JIMH prioritizes rehabilitation for youth with mental-health struggles to reduce recidivism and support the most vulnerable.
ii.
KEEPIN’ IT REAL Mental-Health Conference
A countywide annual gathering — now in its third year — that trains law-enforcement officers, educators, and legal professionals to recognize and respond to mental-health crises in the field and in the courtroom.
iii.
Chai & Chat Series
An open-door community-conversation series that brings residents face-to-face with elected officials over a cup of chai. Designed to make local government transparent, accessible, and answerable to the people it serves.
iv.
Kitchen to the Courthouse
A mentorship initiative connecting young women — especially first-generation Americans — with female leaders across law, business, and the arts. Opens doors to the legal profession for students who would otherwise never see them.
v.
Color of Justice Conference
As an organizing-committee member and keynote speaker, Judge Mathew helps inspire girls and students of color to pursue legal and judicial careers — the next generation of judges who will look like the communities they serve.
§4Recognition
A record honored by her peers and her community.
NAACP Community Service AwardFor service to Fort Bend County.
FOMAA Woman of the YearFederation of Malayalee Associations of Americas.
Outstanding Woman in Law AwardSouth Indian U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Suburban Sugar Land Valiant Women of the Vote Honoree19th-Amendment centennial recognition.
Kerala Samajam of Yonkers Lifetime Achievement AwardService to the global Kerala diaspora.
Bollywood Pageant, Inc. — Making the Difference AwardCommunity leadership recognition.
§5Leadership beyond the bench
Current roles and appointments.
National Association of Women Judges
National advocacy for the role of women on the judiciary.
Lone Star Exchange Club
Civic-service club focused on Americanism, youth, and community development in Fort Bend.
University of Houston Law Center
Professional Strategic Writing — teaching the next generation of Texas lawyers since 2023.
National & State Forums
Juvenile Justice Conference, American Judges Association, Texas Democratic Women, Children’s Mental Health Summit.
Fort Bend ISD Leadership Academy
Internships for high-school, college, and law-school students exploring careers in the judiciary.
§6How to Vote
Texas General Election — Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
In Texas you can vote early at any open early-voting location in your county — not just your assigned precinct. Election Day is precinct-based.
Mark these dates.
Bring an acceptable Texas photo ID. Polls open 7 a.m.–7 p.m.
Oct 5Mon · 2026
Voter-registration deadlineLast day to register for the November general election.
Oct 19–302026
Early votingVote at any Fort Bend early-voting location, Monday through Friday.
Nov 3Tue · Election Day
General ElectionPolls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at your assigned precinct.
§7Join the campaign
Two ways to keep this work going.
Re-electing a judge takes more than goodwill — it takes neighbors talking to neighbors and a campaign that can keep the lights on through November.
Donate to the campaign.
Every dollar funds yard signs, door-knocking literature, and the voter outreach that gets us across the finish line on November 3.
Donate ›Volunteer your time.
Block-walk, phone-bank, host a meet-and-greet, or staff an early-voting site. Tell us how you’d like to help and we’ll be in touch within 24 hours.
Volunteer ›
§8Reach the campaign
Talk to us.
For volunteer signups, endorsements, press, and meet-and-greet requests.
Campaign
Juli Mathew for Judge
Fort Bend County, Texas. Authorized political committee under Texas Election Code §253.