--- title: "Tomasz Nowak | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/tomasz-nowak-district-366th-district-court-texas" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Tomasz Nowak 366th District Court · District Judge ## Profile - Court: 366th District Court - State: Texas - Role: District Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-27 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Presiding Judge, Texas 366th Judicial District Court, McKinney, TX, 2021-2022 - Presiding Judge, Texas 366th Judicial District Court, McKinney, TX, 2019-2020 - Tomasz (Tom) Nowak is a District Judge for the 366th District Court in Collin County, Texas, appointed by Governor Greg Abbott on September 19, 2019, to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Hon. Ray G. Wheless - Supervising Attorney, Henley & Henley, P.C., 2010-2019 - Left the DA’s office in 2010 to practice law, specializing in criminal defense and later in civil litigation - Assistant District Attorney, Dallas County, TX, 2005-2010 - Described as a leader in efficiency and prompt administration of justice, with a background in both prosecution and defense, and a commitment to public service ### Education - Completed J.D. at Baylor University School of Law in 2005. - Graduated North Mesquite High School and earned bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and History from Texas A&M University in 2002. - Political Science, History — Texas A & M University-College Station ### Additional information - Major, U.S. Air Force Reserve, Fort Worth, TX, 2012-present - Certified Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization (2011). - Born in Poland, Nowak immigrated to Dallas in 1985 as a communist refugee. - Appeals: Fifth Court of Appeals - Official judge page: — search “Tomasz Nowak” for chambers contact, forms, and procedural guidance. - handling Organized Crime, Child Abuse, and Family Violence cases, and as court chief for family violence. - Notable policies: Civil/family: proof-of-notice requirements, fixed hearing/trial time limits (e.g., 20 min per side for temporary orders, 2.5 hrs per side for full-day bench trials) Criminal: three settings before final announcement, 4-week max interval, mandatory 9:00 a.m. appearance - Former reserve Captain in the U.S. Air Force. - Member of multiple bar associations and community boards. - Birth place: Poland ## 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/ExcelExportPublic.aspx?type=P&export=E&CommitteeID=0&Court=&SortBy=tblCounty.Sort_ID%2C%20Last_Name&Active_Flg=true&Last_Name=&First_Name=&Court_Type_CD=0&Court_Sub_Type_CD=0&County_ID=0&City_CD=0&Address_Type_CD=0&Annual_Report_CD=0&PersonnelType1=&PersonnelType2=&DistrictPrimaryLocOnly=0&AdminJudicialRegion=0&COADistrictId=0) - [Official roster](https://card.txcourts.gov/ExcelExportPublic.aspx?type=P&export=E&CommitteeID=0&Court=&SortBy=tblCounty.Sort_ID%2C%20Last_Name&Active_Flg=true&Last_Name=&First_Name=&Court_Type_CD=0&Court_Sub_Type_CD=0&County_ID=0&City_CD=0&Address_Type_CD=0&Annual_Report_CD=0&PersonnelType1=&PersonnelType2=&DistrictPrimaryLocOnly=0&AdminJudicialRegion=0&COADistrictId=0) - [Texas Office of Court Administration, active Judicial Directory official judicial roster](https://card.txcourts.gov/ExcelExportPublic.aspx?type=P&export=E&CommitteeID=0&Court=&SortBy=tblCounty.Sort_ID%2C%20Last_Name&Active_Flg=true&Last_Name=&First_Name=&Court_Type_CD=0&Court_Sub_Type_CD=0&County_ID=0&City_CD=0&Address_Type_CD=0&Annual_Report_CD=0&PersonnelType1=&PersonnelType2=&DistrictPrimaryLocOnly=0&AdminJudicialRegion=0&COADistrictId=0) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15922/tomasz-nowak/) - [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/15922/tomasz-nowak/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/tomasz-nowak-district-366th-district-court-texas", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/tomasz-nowak-district-366th-district-court-texas", "name": "Tomasz Nowak | KnowJudges", "description": "Tomasz Nowak, 366th District Court. 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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.