--- title: "Lawrence A. Phillips | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/lawrence-a-phillips-district-59th-district-court-texas" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Lawrence A. Phillips 59th District Court · District Judge ## Profile - Court: 59th District Court - State: Texas - Role: District Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-27 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - The District Judge for Grayson County, Texas, serving on the 59th District Court since May 1, 2018, appointed by Governor Greg Abbott - Presiding Judge, Texas 59th Judicial District Court, Sherman, TX, 2019-2024 - Presiding Judge, Texas 59th Judicial District Court, Sherman, TX, 2018-2018 - Legal Career: Partner at Siebman, Burg, Phillips & Smith, LLP, Sherman, TX Special prosecutor for juvenile cases, Grayson County DA’s Office ### Education - University of Houston — J.D. (1990) - Business Administration — Baylor University — 1988 ### Additional information - Political Service: Texas House of Representatives, District 62 (2003–2018) Served on committees including Transportation, Ethics, Redistricting, and Border & Intergovernmental Affairs - Date of birth: 1966-11-06 - Practitioner, Siebman, Burg, Phillips & Smith, LLP, Sherman, TX, ?-present - Awards: Law & Order Award (Texas District & County Attorneys Association), Texas Distinguished Service Award (Juvenile Justice Association of Texas), Champion of Texas Families Award (Texas Family Law Foundation) - Family: Married with three children; active in Sherman Bible Church - Affiliations: Eastern District of Texas Bar Association, Grayson County Bar Association, Boy Scouts of America (Texoma Valley District) - Birth place: Houston, TX ## 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/ExcelExportPublic.aspx?type=P&export=E&CommitteeID=0&Court=&SortBy=tblCounty.Sort_ID%2C%20Last_Name&Active_Flg=true&Last_Name=&First_Name=&Court_Type_CD=0&Court_Sub_Type_CD=0&County_ID=0&City_CD=0&Address_Type_CD=0&Annual_Report_CD=0&PersonnelType1=&PersonnelType2=&DistrictPrimaryLocOnly=0&AdminJudicialRegion=0&COADistrictId=0) - [Official roster](https://card.txcourts.gov/ExcelExportPublic.aspx?type=P&export=E&CommitteeID=0&Court=&SortBy=tblCounty.Sort_ID%2C%20Last_Name&Active_Flg=true&Last_Name=&First_Name=&Court_Type_CD=0&Court_Sub_Type_CD=0&County_ID=0&City_CD=0&Address_Type_CD=0&Annual_Report_CD=0&PersonnelType1=&PersonnelType2=&DistrictPrimaryLocOnly=0&AdminJudicialRegion=0&COADistrictId=0) - [Texas Office of Court Administration, active Judicial Directory official judicial roster](https://card.txcourts.gov/ExcelExportPublic.aspx?type=P&export=E&CommitteeID=0&Court=&SortBy=tblCounty.Sort_ID%2C%20Last_Name&Active_Flg=true&Last_Name=&First_Name=&Court_Type_CD=0&Court_Sub_Type_CD=0&County_ID=0&City_CD=0&Address_Type_CD=0&Annual_Report_CD=0&PersonnelType1=&PersonnelType2=&DistrictPrimaryLocOnly=0&AdminJudicialRegion=0&COADistrictId=0) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15964/lawrence-a-phillips/) - [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/15964/lawrence-a-phillips/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/lawrence-a-phillips-district-59th-district-court-texas", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/lawrence-a-phillips-district-59th-district-court-texas", "name": "Lawrence A. Phillips | KnowJudges", "description": "Lawrence A. Phillips, 59th District Court. 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/lawrence-a-phillips-district-59th-district-court-texas#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/lawrence-a-phillips-district-59th-district-court-texas#judge", "name": "Lawrence A. Phillips", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/lawrence-a-phillips-district-59th-district-court-texas", "jobTitle": "District Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "59th District Court" }, "sameAs": [ "https://card.txcourts.gov/ExcelExportPublic.aspx?type=P&export=E&CommitteeID=0&Court=&SortBy=tblCounty.Sort_ID%2C%20Last_Name&Active_Flg=true&Last_Name=&First_Name=&Court_Type_CD=0&Court_Sub_Type_CD=0&County_ID=0&City_CD=0&Address_Type_CD=0&Annual_Report_CD=0&PersonnelType1=&PersonnelType2=&DistrictPrimaryLocOnly=0&AdminJudicialRegion=0&COADistrictId=0", "https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15964/lawrence-a-phillips/" ], "birthDate": "1966-11-06", "birthPlace": "Houston, TX", "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Baylor University" }, { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "University of Houston" } ] }, { "@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": "Lawrence A. Phillips", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/lawrence-a-phillips-district-59th-district-court-texas" } ] } ] } ``` ## 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.