--- title: "Randolph A. McDonald | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/randolph-a-mcdonald-15849" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Randolph A. McDonald Texas District Courts - Chambers County; Special Crimes Division · Administrative Law Judge ## Profile - Court: Texas District Courts - Chambers County; Special Crimes Division - State: Texas - Role: Administrative Law Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-06-30 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Randolph A. McDonald is the elected judge of Texas’s 344th Judicial District Court, serving since January 1, 2021, and re‐elected unopposed in 2024 - Presiding Judge, Texas 344th Judicial District Court, Anahuac, TX, 2017-2020 - Judicial Roles: Presiding Judge, 344th Judicial District Court (2013–2020) Judge, Van Zandt County Court at Law (2011–2018) - Presiding Judge, Texas 344th Judicial District Court, Anahuac, TX, 2013-2016 - Managing Partner, Eggleston, Goodwin & McDonald, ?-present - Assistant District Attorney, Harris County District Attorney's Office, TX, ?-present - Major Narcotics Prosecutor, Organized Crime Section, Harris County District Attorney's Office, TX, ?-present - Administrative Law Judge, Texas District Courts - Chambers County - Prosecutorial Service: Major Narcotics Prosecutor, Organized Crime Section, Harris County District Attorney’s Office - Other Positions: Assistant District Attorney, Harris County Adjunct professor at Bates College and Texas Southern University Partner at Schaffer, Lambright, Odom & Sparks; later Managing Partner at Eggleston, Goodwin & McDonald ### Education - B.A. (1974) — University of Texas at Austin J.D. (1978) — South Texas College of Law ### Additional information - Tenure: Since January 1, 2021; re‐elected unopposed in 2024 - Presiding Judge, Anahuac, TX, 2021-2024 - Elections: Won in 2020 and 2024 without opposition - Bar Admission: Texas Bar, 1979 - Born: November 19, 1951, in San Angelo, Texas - Date of birth: 1951-01-01 - adj-prof, Bates College, ?-present - adj-prof, Texas Southern University, ?-present - Owner/Practitioner, Randy McDonald PC, TX, ?-present - Special Crimes Division, TX, ?-present - Member, Houston Bar Association - Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association - Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization - Birth place: San Angelo, 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://www.courtlistener.com/person/15849/randolph-a-mcdonald/) - [Official roster](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15849/randolph-a-mcdonald/) - [Texas District Courts - Chambers County; Special Crimes Division current judicial profile](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15849/randolph-a-mcdonald/) - [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/15849/randolph-a-mcdonald/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/randolph-a-mcdonald-15849", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/randolph-a-mcdonald-15849", "name": "Randolph A. 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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.