--- title: "Patrick A. Pirtle | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/patrick-a-pirtle-8370" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Patrick A. Pirtle Court of Appeals of Texas · Judge ## Profile - Court: Court of Appeals of Texas - 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 - Current/Former Role: Justice, Place 3, Texas Seventh District Court of Appeals (2006–2022) - Judge, Court of Appeals of Texas, 2006-present - Retired justice of the Texas Seventh District Court of Appeals, serving from 2006 until 2022, when he was succeeded by Alex Yarbrough - Prior Judicial Role: Judge, 251st District Court, Potter and Randall Counties, Texas (1989–2006) - Long‐serving Texas appellate judge with a career spanning over four decades in law, combining private practice, district court service, and appellate judicial work, and active in legal and community leadership roles ### Education - Texas Tech School of Law in — J.D. (1977) - B.A. (B.B.A.) in Accounting and Finance, Texas Tech University, 1974. ### Additional information - He also held the role of Chairperson of the Texas Center for the Judiciary (2019–2020). - Election: Re‐elected in the November 6, 2018 general election for the Place 3 seat; won 100% of the vote in that race. - Whittenburg, Whittenburg & Schachter (1988) - Successor: Alex Yarbrough (R). - Also a district judge for the 251st judicial district before his appointment to the Court of Appeals. - Pirtle’s legal work included appellate civil, appellate criminal, and criminal defense matters, with board certifications in Commercial Real Estate Law and Residential Real Estate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. - Texas Bar Association, American Bar Association, Panhandle Family Law Association ## 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 ### oral argument purpose Scope: courtwide Use oral argument to emphasize and clarify the briefs, not merely read prepared text; assume the panel has read the briefs, be ready for questions, and stay within the record. Evidence excerpt: Oral argument should emphasize and clarify the written arguments in the briefs. Counsel should not merely read from prepared text. [Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 39 - Oral Argument](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1461885/texas-rules-of-appellate-procedure.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### oral argument time Scope: courtwide The court sets argument time. Finish within the allotment unless the court permits continuation; the appellant must be allowed to conclude. Evidence excerpt: Counsel must complete argument in the time allotted and may continue after the expiration of the allotted time only with permission of the court. [Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 39 - Oral Argument](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1461885/texas-rules-of-appellate-procedure.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### number of arguing counsel Scope: courtwide Generally one lawyer should argue for each side. Without leave, no more than two may argue per side, and only one may present rebuttal. Evidence excerpt: Generally, only one counsel should argue for each side. Except on leave of court, no more than two counsel on each side may argue. Only one counsel may argue in rebuttal. [Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 39 - Oral Argument](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1461885/texas-rules-of-appellate-procedure.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### oral argument request Scope: courtwide Request oral argument on the front cover of the brief. If argument is set, all parties that filed briefs may participate even if they did not request it. Evidence excerpt: A party desiring oral argument must note that request on the front cover of the party’s brief. [Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 39 - Oral Argument](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1461885/texas-rules-of-appellate-procedure.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ### oral argument notice Scope: courtwide The clerk's notice states whether argument is allowed, the date, allotted time, location or electronic-joining instructions, exhibit instructions, and panel members. Evidence excerpt: The clerk must send to the parties—at least 21 days before the date the case is set for argument or submission without argument—a notice telling the parties: [Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 39 - Oral Argument](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1461885/texas-rules-of-appellate-procedure.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-30 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/8370/patrick-a-pirtle/) - [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/8370/patrick-a-pirtle/) - [Court of Appeals of Texas current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/8370/patrick-a-pirtle/) - [Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 39 - Oral Argument](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1461885/texas-rules-of-appellate-procedure.pdf) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/8370/patrick-a-pirtle/) - [Patrick Pirtle - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Patrick_Pirtle) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/patrick-a-pirtle-8370", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/patrick-a-pirtle-8370", "name": "Patrick A. Pirtle | KnowJudges", "description": "Patrick A. Pirtle, Court of Appeals of Texas. 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/patrick-a-pirtle-8370#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/patrick-a-pirtle-8370#judge", "name": "Patrick A. Pirtle", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/patrick-a-pirtle-8370", "jobTitle": "Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "Court of Appeals of Texas" }, "sameAs": [ "https://www.courtlistener.com/person/8370/patrick-a-pirtle/" ], "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "Texas Tech School of Law in 1977" } ] }, { "@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": "Patrick A. Pirtle", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/patrick-a-pirtle-8370" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 9.2, Electronic Filing](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-e966a5411b2587c600cf3508) — 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/1461885/texas-rules-of-appellate-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-07-26.