--- title: "James Andrew Bench | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-andrew-bench-15501" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # James Andrew Bench Texas District Courts - Hunt County · Administrative Law Judge ## Profile - Court: Texas District Courts - Hunt County - State: Texas - Role: Administrative Law Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-06-30 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Judicial Service: Judge, Hunt County Court at Law No. 1 (2007–2014) Presiding Judge, 196th Judicial District Court (2015–2018, 2019–2022) Current seated judge on the 196th District Court bench - Presiding Judge, Texas 196th Judicial District Court, TX, 2019-2022 - Presiding Judge, Texas 196th Judicial District Court, TX, 2015-2018 - James Andrew Bench is a full-time judge of the 196th District Court in Hunt County, Texas, elected in 2014 and re‐elected in 2018, with a background in law, public service, and prior judicial roles - Judge, Texas County Courts at Law, Hunt County Court at Law, TX, 2011-2014 - Judge, Texas County Courts at Law, Hunt County Court at Law, TX, 2007-2014 - Administrative Law Judge, Texas District Courts - Hunt County, TX, ?-present ### Education - B.A., East Texas State University, 1994 J.D., Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law, 1997 - Texas A & M University-Commerce — B.A. (1994) ### Additional information - Bar Admission: November 7, 1997, State Bar of Texas, License No. 90001626 - City Attorney, City of Greenville, TX, 1994-1996 - Practitioner, Private Practice, Greenville, TX, 1994-1996 - Early Career: City Attorney, City of Greenville (1994–1996) Private practice (1994–1996) - Political Affiliation: Registered Republican ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### civil remote appearances Scope: statewide In civil district and county court proceedings, the court may permit or require electronic participation after appropriate notice; compelled electronic participation for oral-testimony proceedings requires good cause or party agreement, and a jury trial requires party agreement. Evidence excerpt: Upon appropriate notice by a party or the court, a court may allow or require a participant to appear at a court proceeding by videoconference, teleconference, or other available electronic means, except as otherwise provided in (2). [Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21d, Appearances at Court Proceedings](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1462948/texas-rules-of-civil-procedure-july-1-2026.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### civil recording and broadcasting Scope: statewide Civil district and county trial courts may permit courtroom recording or broadcasting only under Supreme Court guidelines, with the required party and witness consent, or for ceremonial proceedings. Evidence excerpt: A trial court may permit broadcasting, televising, recording, or photographing of proceedings in the courtroom only in the following circumstances: [Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 18c, Recording and Broadcasting of Court Proceedings](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1462948/texas-rules-of-civil-procedure-july-1-2026.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15501/james-andrew-bench/) - [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15501/james-andrew-bench/) - [Texas District Courts - Hunt County current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15501/james-andrew-bench/) - [Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21d, Appearances at Court Proceedings](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1462948/texas-rules-of-civil-procedure-july-1-2026.pdf) - [Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 18c, Recording and Broadcasting of Court Proceedings](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1462948/texas-rules-of-civil-procedure-july-1-2026.pdf) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15501/james-andrew-bench/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-andrew-bench-15501", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-andrew-bench-15501", "name": "James Andrew Bench | KnowJudges", "description": "James Andrew Bench, Texas District Courts - Hunt County. 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Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1462948/texas-rules-of-civil-procedure-july-1-2026.pdf). Collected 2026-07-26. - [Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21d, Appearances at Court Proceedings](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-a5f587f769df9f3231ef4f9a) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1462948/texas-rules-of-civil-procedure-july-1-2026.pdf). Collected 2026-07-26.