--- title: "Marla Cuellar | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/marla-cuellar" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Marla Cuellar Texas 275th District Court · District Judge, Hidalgo County 275th District Court (general civil jurisdiction) ## Profile - Court: Texas 275th District Court - State: Texas - Role: District Judge, Hidalgo County 275th District Court (general civil jurisdiction) - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-28 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Presiding Judge, Texas 275th Judicial District Court, TX, 2019-2022 - Began her legal career as an assistant attorney general for the Texas Attorney General’s Child Support Division ### Education - St. Mary’s University School of Law — J.D. (1996) - The University of Texas-Pan American — B.A. (1991) ### Additional information - The elected judge of the 275th District Court in Hidalgo County, Texas, serving since 2018 and handling a wide range of civil and criminal cases. - Elected in 2018 to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon. Juan R. Partida. - Practitioner, Private Practice, McAllen, TX, 1998-2018 - Before joining the bench, Cuellar had over 20 years in private legal practice and earlier work as a special agent for the Motor Carrier Division of the U.S. Department of Transportation. - Marla Cuellar presides over the 275th District Court, a court of general jurisdiction in Hidalgo County that handles both civil and criminal matters, including divorce, contract disputes, personal injury, medical malpractice, capital murder, burglary, theft, aggravated robbery, sexual assault, intoxication, manslaughter, and assault. - She was born and raised in Weslaco, Texas, and lived in Mission, TX, at the time of her election. - Advocating for a mental health restoration program in Hidalgo County in collaboration with law enforcement and probation offices. - Helping develop the State’s first diversionary runaway court with juvenile probation. - Participating in the Courts in School Program and serving as chair of St. Mary’s Law’s Red Mass Committee. - She is also recognized as a motivational speaker for youth and adults. - Birth place: Weslaco, 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 ### pretrial exhibits and video depositions Scope: courtwide For a Hidalgo County district-court civil trial, the joint pretrial order must list expected exhibits and make them available to opposing counsel. Exhibits must be premarked with inadmissible material redacted, and page-and-line designations for videotaped deposition excerpts must be exchanged before trial. Evidence excerpt: All Exhibits are to be premarked with inadmissible matters redacted prior to trial. [Local Rules of Hidalgo County, Texas District Courts](https://www.hidalgocounty.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/4637) Source checked: 2026-07-28 ### joint pretrial order and jury charge Scope: courtwide The parties must file a joint pretrial order at least 14 days before the final pretrial conference. It must include witness and exhibit lists, and each party must attach a proposed jury charge with instructions, definitions, and questions. Evidence excerpt: A Joint Pretrial Order shall be filed by the parties at least 14 days before the final pretrial conference scheduled by the court. [Local Rules of Hidalgo County, Texas District Courts](https://www.hidalgocounty.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/4637) Source checked: 2026-07-28 ### summary judgment submission Scope: courtwide Summary-judgment motions in Hidalgo County district courts are decided by submission unless the court orders an oral hearing. Evidence excerpt: Summary Judgment Motions shall be heard by submission only unless an oral hearing is ordered by the Court. [Local Rules of Hidalgo County, Texas District Courts](https://www.hidalgocounty.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/4637) Source checked: 2026-07-28 ### 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.hidalgocounty.us/241/275th-District-Court) - [Official roster](https://www.hidalgocounty.us/241/275th-District-Court) - [Hidalgo County official judicial roster](https://www.hidalgocounty.us/241/275th-District-Court) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15581/marla-cuellar/) - [Hidalgo County Officials](https://www.hidalgocounty.us/937/County-Officials) - [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) - [Local Rules of Hidalgo County, Texas District Courts](https://www.hidalgocounty.us/DocumentCenter/Home/View/4637) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15581/marla-cuellar/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/marla-cuellar", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/marla-cuellar", "name": "Marla Cuellar | KnowJudges", "description": "Marla Cuellar, Texas 275th 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.