--- title: "Patricia Baca Bennett | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/patricia-baca-bennett" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Patricia Baca Bennett Texas 360th District Court · District Judge ## Profile - Court: Texas 360th 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 - Judge Patricia Baca Bennett is the presiding judge of the Texas 360th District Court (Family Division) in Tarrant County, elected in 2016, re‐elected in 2020, and re‐elected again in 2024, with her current term ending December 31, 2028. - Presiding Judge, Texas 360th Judicial District Court, TX, 2021-2024 - Presiding Judge, Texas 360th Judicial District Court, TX, 2017-2020 - Partner, Bennett and Bennett, Attorneys at Law, Fort Worth, TX, ?-present ### Education - Texas Tech University School of Law — J.D. (1993) - B.A. in Political Science — University of Texas at Arlington (1989) ### Additional information - 2016 — First elected to the bench. - Political Science, with honors — The University of Texas at Arlington — 1989 - Judge Bennett hears family law cases including divorces, child custody, child support, and adoptions. - Judge Bennett believes a judge’s role is to apply the law, not make it, and that equitable principles are limited by statute and case law. - Former private practice attorney specializing in family law before joining the bench. - Her court is located at 200 E. Weatherford St., 4th Floor, Fort Worth, TX 76196. - She emphasizes the separation of powers and the importance of applying Texas law within its constitutional and statutory limits. - She is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a distinction held by only about 10% of Texas attorneys. - She was a Board of Regents Scholar at Texas Tech Law School. - Patricia Bennett has been married for 30 years, is the mother of two children (including one with special needs), and is active in her community and faith. - She resides in Mansfield, Texas, and attends St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. - Birth place: Albuquerque, NM ## 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/15505/patricia-baca-bennett/) - [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/15505/patricia-baca-bennett/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/patricia-baca-bennett", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/patricia-baca-bennett", "name": "Patricia Baca Bennett | KnowJudges", "description": "Patricia Baca Bennett, Texas 360th 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.