--- title: "Kyle Hawthorne | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/kyle-hawthorne" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Kyle Hawthorne Texas 85th District Court · District Judge ## Profile - Court: Texas 85th District Court - State: Texas - Role: District Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-25 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - He currently serves as the administrative judge for the district court and has announced that he will not seek re-election in 2026, marking the conclusion of a nearly 40-year legal career. - As of May 2026, Hawthorne has officially announced his retirement, and the upcoming vacancy has already attracted candidates, including Assistant Brazos County District Attorney Jennifer Hebert, who leads the juvenile and civil divisions. - Presiding Judge, Texas 85th Judicial District Court, Bryan, TX, 2019-2022 - Kyle Hawthorne has held the role of a judge for the 85th District Court in Brazos County, Texas, first elected in 2014 and subsequently re-elected in 2018 and 2022 - Presiding Judge, Texas 85th Judicial District Court, Bryan, TX, 2015-2018 - Substitute Teacher, South Park School District, 1979-1980 - Over his tenure, he has presided over numerous cases in the 85th District Court, contributing to the administration of justice in Brazos County ### Education - South Texas College — J.D. (1987) - B.A. from Texas A&M University in 1979 and his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in 1986. - Texas A & M University-College Station — B.A. ### Additional information - Hawthorne ran unopposed in the Republican primary in 2014 and won the general election without opposition, beginning his first term in 2015. - Partner, Bruchez, Gross, Thornton, Meronoff and Hawthorne, Bryan, TX, 1991-2014 - Practitioner, Vance, Bruchez & Goss, Bryan, TX, 1987-1991 - Supervisor, Union Texas Petroleum Company, TX, 1986-1987 - Accountant, Union Texas Petroleum Company, 1985-1986 - Senior Joint Interest Accountant, Enstar Petroleum, Inc., 1984-1984 - Property Accountant, Enstar Petroleum, Inc., 1981-1983 - Hawthorne’s decision to retire is framed as a personal choice to step aside after a fulfilling career and allow new leadership in the court. - Hawthorne described his tenure as highly rewarding and expressed that it was a good time to allow new perspectives in the court. - Kyle Hawthorne’s career highlights his long-standing commitment to the legal system in Texas, and his retirement marks the end of a significant chapter for the 85th District Court. - His career includes multiple successful re-elections, reflecting consistent support from the local electorate. - Before becoming a judge, he built a substantial legal career, gaining experience across various areas of law, which contributed to his qualifications for the district court bench. ## 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) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15722/kyle-hawthorne/) - [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/15722/kyle-hawthorne/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/kyle-hawthorne", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/kyle-hawthorne", "name": "Kyle Hawthorne | KnowJudges", "description": "Kyle Hawthorne, Texas 85th District Court. 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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.