--- title: "Ruben Morales | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/ruben-morales" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-07-28" --- # Ruben Morales El Paso County Court at Law No. 7 · Judge, El Paso County Court at Law No. 7 (civil and criminal docket) ## Profile - Court: El Paso County Court at Law No. 7 - State: Texas - Role: Judge, El Paso County Court at Law No. 7 (civil and criminal docket) - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-28 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## 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 ### trial exhibits and jury charge Scope: courtwide El Paso civil litigants must prepare an electronic copy of admitted trial exhibits for the court reporter. They must also provide both a hard copy and an editable electronic version of the proposed jury charge, including reasonably anticipated special issues or requested instructions. Evidence excerpt: Parties shall prepare an electronic copy of admitted trial exhibits which are to be provided to the court reporter for preparation of the reporter's record. [El Paso County Local Rules for Civil Courts](https://www.epcounty.com/DocumentCenter/View/2044/El-Paso-County-Local-Rules---Civil-PDF) Source checked: 2026-07-28 ### hearing materials and setting Scope: courtwide Before an El Paso civil hearing, parties must timely provide the court with motions, responses, replies, and pertinent supporting documents by hand delivery or email according to the assigned court's preference. Non-jury settings must be arranged through the court coordinator. Evidence excerpt: Parties shall timely provide directly to the court, either by hand delivery or email, based on the court's preference, a copy of motions, responses, replies, and pertinent supporting documents before the hearing. [El Paso County Local Rules for Civil Courts](https://www.epcounty.com/DocumentCenter/View/2044/El-Paso-County-Local-Rules---Civil-PDF) Source checked: 2026-07-28 ### 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.epcounty.com/622/County-Court-at-Law-7) - [Official roster](https://www.epcounty.com/622/County-Court-at-Law-7) - [El Paso County Court at Law No. 7 official judicial roster](https://www.epcounty.com/622/County-Court-at-Law-7) - [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) - [El Paso County Local Rules for Civil Courts](https://www.epcounty.com/DocumentCenter/View/2044/El-Paso-County-Local-Rules---Civil-PDF) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/ruben-morales", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/ruben-morales", "name": "Ruben Morales | KnowJudges", "description": "Ruben Morales, El Paso County Court at Law No. 7. 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Morales is the Democratic Party judge of El Paso County Court at Law No. 7 in Texas, serving since 2019 and currently up for re‐election in November 2026 - In summary: Judge Ruben P. Morales is an experienced Texas attorney and jurist, serving as the Democratic judge for El Paso County Court at Law No. 7, with a background in both public service and private legal practice, and is seeking re‐election in 2026 ### Education - J.D., University of Texas at Austin School of Law, 1992 - B.A. in Business, University of Texas at Austin, 1989 ### Additional information - Next election: November 3, 2026 (incumbent running for re‐election) - Elected: November 6, 2018 (took office January 1, 2019) - Office address: 500 E. San Antonio Ave., Suite 806, El Paso, TX 79901 - Recent filings include matters such as Velocity Investments, LLC v. - Edward Rivas and Capital One, N.A. v. - Ana Mack. - Licensed to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court - Graduated Ysleta High School as valedictorian - After law school, spent 25 years in private practice in El Paso, arguing cases in the Texas Eighth Court of Appeals, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, and the Fifth Circuit - Judge Morales presides over a variety of civil and criminal cases in El Paso County Court at Law No. 7, including commercial matters, debt/contract disputes, and other civil cases. ## 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.