--- title: "Richard T. Bell | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/richard-t-bell" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Richard T. Bell Texas 501st District Court · District Judge ## Profile - Court: Texas 501st 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 - Associate Judge, Texas 387th Judicial District Court, TX, 2015-present - Former assistant prosecuting attorney for 29 years in Cuyahoga County - Former associate district judge in the 387th District Court ### Education - South Texas College — J.D. (1997) - Southwestern University — B.A. (1994) - B.A., Kent State University (1985) J.D., Cleveland–Marshall College of Law (1989) ### Additional information - Appointed: December 1, 2025, by Governor Greg Abbott. - First elected: November 3, 2020; assumed office December 3, 2020. - Owner, Richard T. Bell & Associates, P.C., Sugar Land, TX, 1997-2015 - Led units including Internet Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking, Cold Case DNA, Major Trial, Child Abuse, Elder Protection, and Economic Crime. - Longtime family-law practitioner with nearly 20 years of experience. - Former president of the Fort Bend County Bar Association and active in multiple community organizations. - Birth place: Houston, 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://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/15496/richard-t-bell/) - [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/15496/richard-t-bell/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/richard-t-bell", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/richard-t-bell", "name": "Richard T. 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Bell", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/richard-t-bell" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21d, Appearances at Court Proceedings](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-119ce7e69a3752f1da3cfce0) — 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. - [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.