--- title: "Philip Ray Martinez | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/philip-ray-martinez-2066" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-10-09" --- # Philip Ray Martinez U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas · Judge ## Profile - Court: U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas - State: Texas - Role: Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-06-30 ## Biography ### Professional career - Judge, District Court, W.D. Texas, 2002-present - Philip Ray Martinez (1957–2021) was a U.S. district judge for the Western District of Texas, serving from 2002 until his death in 2021, and was remembered for his dedication to justice, community service, and mentorship - Judge, El Paso County Texas Three Hundred and Twenty-Seventh District Court, 1991-2002 - Judge, El Paso County Texas Court-at-Law Number One, 1991-1994 - His colleagues and community members remember him for his passion for justice, mentorship, and commitment to public service ### Education - Harvard University — J.D. (1982) - Harvard Law School — J.D. (1982) - University of Texas at El Paso — B.A. (1979) ### Additional information - His federal service ended on February 26, 2021, due to his death. - U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas (2002–2021), appointed by President George W. Bush on October 9, 2001, confirmed by the Senate 93–0 on February 5, 2002, and commissioned February 12, 2002. - Philip Ray Martinez Jr. was born July 13, 1957, in El Paso, Texas, and died February 26, 2021, at age 63 from an apparent heart attack. - 327th Judicial District Court, Texas (1991–2002) - El Paso County Court at Law No. 1 (1991–1994) - Private practice, El Paso, TX, 1982-1990 - Date of birth: 1957-01-01 - Advocating for El Paso and supporting education, including establishing a Philip R. Martinez Endowed Scholarship Fund at UTEP - Praying the rosary daily and playing piano at St. Patrick’s Cathedral - Mentoring students, including interviewing them for Harvard admission - Being described by colleagues and friends as humble, kind, and a “light” to his family and community - He is survived by his wife, Mayela Del Carmen Martinez, his children Jaclyn Elysse and Lauren Amanda, his parents, siblings, and many friends. - Martinez’s career spanned over 30 years at the county, state, and federal levels, and he received numerous awards and honors. - Birth place: El Paso, TX ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2066/philip-ray-martinez/) - [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2066/philip-ray-martinez/) - [U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2066/philip-ray-martinez/) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/2066/philip-ray-martinez/) - [Martinez, Philip Ray | Federal Judicial Center](https://www.fjc.gov/history/judges/martinez-philip-ray) - [In Memoriam – Judge Philip R. Martinez – U.S. District Court](https://www.txwd.uscourts.gov/2021/03/01/in-memorial-judge-philip-r-martinez) - [Wikidata: Philip Ray Martinez](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7184270) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/philip-ray-martinez-2066", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/philip-ray-martinez-2066", "name": "Philip Ray Martinez | KnowJudges", "description": "Philip Ray Martinez, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. 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Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-civil-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27. - [Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, December 1, 2025](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8721a344fececced2257fe1d) — Criminal proceedings in United States District Courts; this conservative mapping does not distribute appellate-specific provisions to appellate judges. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.uscourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/federal-rules-of-criminal-procedure.pdf). Collected 2026-10-27.