Gov. Greg Abbott has made the call, appointing H. Dustin "Dusty" Fillmore, III, to preside as Judge over Tarrant County's 236th Judicial District Court. Dusty Fillmore's tenure on the bench is a temporary assignment, with the term slated to conclude at the end of the year, on December 31, 2026. Fillmore's appointment was officially announced by the Governor's office on January 15th, positioning the Fort Worth attorney and partner of The Fillmore Law Firm, L.L.P., as the latest addition to Tarrant County's roster of judges.
Not one to be pigeonholed solely as legal counsel, Fillmore's resume is speckled with affiliations that speak to a career entrenched in both local and national law spheres. He's a card-carrying member of the State Bar of Texas, the Federalist Society, and the Federal Bar Association, not to mention the Tarrant County Bar Association. But his work extends beyond the realm of statutes and litigation; Fillmore also dedicates time to AVENEW ministry at Christ Chapel Bible Church, as per information released by the Governor's office.
Education plays a central role in any legal professional's narrative, and Fillmore's is rooted in Texas through and through. He received a Bachelor of Arts in English from Baylor University before pursuing his Juris Doctor at St. Mary’s University School of Law. This educational backdrop sets the stage for his appointment to a court that serves a county with a burgeoning population and a complex docket of cases.
With this appointment, Gov. Abbott fleshes out the judicial landscape of Tarrant County, and Fillmore's placement on the bench is poised to shape the legal contours of the 236th Judicial District. His period in this role, temporary though it may be, is a canvas upon which Fillmore will apply his legal acumen and decisions that could echo long beyond his December 31 departure. The news of his appointment comes directly from the Governor's website, confirming Fillmore's latest career milestone.
