---
title: "James Yates | KnowJudges"
canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-yates"
page_type: "judge_profile"
updated: "2026-07-26"
---

# James Yates

Texas County Court · Constitutional County Judge

## Profile

- Court: Texas County Court
- State: Texas
- Role: Constitutional County Judge
- Service status: active
- Last verified: 2026-07-25

## Summary

Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge.

## 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://card.txcourts.gov/directorysearch.aspx)
- [Official roster](https://card.txcourts.gov/directorysearch.aspx)
- [Texas Office of Court Administration official judicial roster](https://card.txcourts.gov/directorysearch.aspx)
- [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)

## JSON-LD

```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@graph": [
    {
      "@type": "WebPage",
      "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-yates",
      "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-yates",
      "name": "James Yates | KnowJudges",
      "description": "James Yates, Texas County Court. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.",
      "dateModified": "2026-07-26",
      "isPartOf": {
        "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website"
      },
      "mainEntity": {
        "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-yates#judge"
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-yates#judge",
      "name": "James Yates",
      "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-yates",
      "jobTitle": "Constitutional County Judge",
      "worksFor": {
        "@type": "GovernmentOrganization",
        "name": "Texas County Court"
      },
      "sameAs": [
        "https://card.txcourts.gov/directorysearch.aspx"
      ]
    },
    {
      "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
      "itemListElement": [
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 1,
          "name": "KnowJudges",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 2,
          "name": "Texas",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/texas"
        },
        {
          "@type": "ListItem",
          "position": 3,
          "name": "James Yates",
          "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/james-yates"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}
```

## Biography

### Professional career


### Education

- A.B. cum laude from Princeton University in 1967 and a J.D. from Rutgers Law School in 1973.

### Additional information

- After retiring from the bench in 2011, Yates was appointed Counsel to the Speaker of the New York State Assembly in 2011, serving under Sheldon Silver and later Carl Heastie until 2015.
- New York State Supreme Court, New York County — Elected in 1997 (term 1998–2011) for the First Judicial District
- He also held the role of General Counsel to Governor David Paterson from 2008 to 2010.
- In 2009, he was appointed to the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court.
- New York State Court of Claims — Appointed by Governor Mario Cuomo in 1992, serving until 1998.
- From 1979 to 1987, Yates held the role of Chief Counsel to the New York State Assembly’s Codes Committee and later as counsel to the Assembly Majority Leader (1987–1989) and counsel to the Speaker of the Assembly (1989–1992).
- Began his legal career in 1973 as a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society of New York City and was one of the founders of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
- handling both criminal and commercial cases.
- He also taught criminal law, ethics, and legislative process at multiple law schools, including New York University School of Law, New York Law School, CUNY School of Law, Cardozo School of Law, and Pace University School of Law.



## Published courtroom rules

### Shared court rules

- [Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21d, Appearances at Court Proceedings](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-119ce7e69a3752f1da3cfce0) — 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.
- [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.