--- title: "K. Lee Hamilton | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/k-lee-hamilton-15711" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # K. Lee Hamilton Taylor County Court at Law · Judge ## Profile - Court: Taylor County Court at Law - State: Texas - Role: Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-06-30 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Retired judge of the 104th District Court of Texas in Taylor County, serving from 2001 until his mandatory retirement on December 31, 2020 - Presiding Judge, Texas 104th Judicial District Court, TX, 2001-2020 - 104th District Court of Texas — Elected in 2000, took office in 2001, re‐elected in 2016. held the role of presiding judge until retirement in 2020 - Licensed to practice law in Texas in 1982 - Judge, Taylor County Court at Law, TX, ?-present - Judge, City of Abilene Municipal Court, Abilene, TX, ?-present - City of Abilene Municipal Court — Judge for 2 years ### Education - South Texas College — J.D. (1982) - BA — The University of Texas at Austin — 1977 ### Additional information - Taylor County Court at Law — Judge for 10 years before municipal court. - The 104th District Court is a trial court of general jurisdiction in Texas - handling felony criminal cases, family law, civil matters over $200, property disputes, and other general jurisdiction cases. - Recognized as a mentor to legal professionals, with colleagues noting his guidance in handling complex cases and maintaining judicial decorum. - His career spanned over two decades of judicial service in Texas, combining local, municipal, and district court experience. ## 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/15711/k-lee-hamilton/) - [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15711/k-lee-hamilton/) - [Taylor County Court at Law current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15711/k-lee-hamilton/) - [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/15711/k-lee-hamilton/) - [Lee Hamilton - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Lee_Hamilton) - [Lee H. Hamilton: Biography | Indiana University Libraries](https://libraries.indiana.edu/lee-hamilton-biography) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/k-lee-hamilton-15711", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/k-lee-hamilton-15711", "name": "K. Lee Hamilton | KnowJudges", "description": "K. Lee Hamilton, Taylor County Court at Law. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-08-02", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/k-lee-hamilton-15711#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/k-lee-hamilton-15711#judge", "name": "K. 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Lee Hamilton", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/k-lee-hamilton-15711" } ] } ] } ``` ## 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.