--- title: "Velia J. Meza | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/velia-j-meza-tx-4th-court-appeals" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Velia J. Meza Texas 4th Court of Appeals · Court of Appeals Justice ## Profile - Court: Texas 4th Court of Appeals - State: Texas - Role: Court of Appeals Justice - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-27 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Since January 1, 2025, Justice Meza has served on the Texas Fourth Court of Appeals in San Antonio - Judge on the Texas Fourth Court of Appeals, taking office January 1, 2025, after a 17-year legal career in South Texas and six years as a Bexar County District Court judge. - Presiding Judge, Texas 266th Judicial District Court, San Antonio, TX, 2019-2022 - In 2019, Justice Meza was elected Judge of the 226th Criminal District Court of Bexar County, serving six years and disposing of thousands of felony cases - Practitioner, Velia J. Meza, Attorney at Law PC, San Antonio, TX, ?-present - She interned for Judge Fred Biery in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas and held a position as a summer associate at Jackson Walker LLP in Dallas - Justice Meza was born and raised in El Paso, Texas - She is also an adjunct professor at St. Mary’s University School of Law and the University of Texas at San Antonio ### Education - St Mary's University — J.D. (2000) - Economics — Columbia University in the City of New York — 1995 - Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Women’s College at Columbia University in New York City. - She later returned to Texas to complete her Juris Doctor at St. Mary’s University School of Law, where she was inducted into the Phi Delta Phi Legal Honor Society for ranking in the top 20% of her class. ### Additional information - In 2025, she became one of only 19 inaugural Texas judges to earn Board Certification in Judicial Administration, recognizing expertise in judicial leadership and court management. - Before entering the judiciary, Justice Meza worked in the New York City Criminal Justice Agency, assisting Manhattan Criminal Court arraignment judges. - handling criminal, family, and civil matters. - She led initiatives such as the Bexar County Gives Back alternative incarceration program, which saved the county over $1 million. - She also trained attorneys and clients in virtual proceedings during the pandemic and developed continuing legal education programs on courtroom technology. - She then practiced law across all counties in South Texas for 17 years - Texas Center for the Judiciary Board and on multiple State Bar of Texas committees focused on judicial improvement. - She has been married to Cesar Meza for 22 years and is the mother of three sons. - She and her family enjoy outdoor activities and travel. ## 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 ### appellate electronic filing Scope: statewide In Texas appellate courts, attorneys must electronically file civil and criminal documents, subject to a good-cause motion; self-represented parties may e-file but are not required to do so. Evidence excerpt: Attorneys in civil cases must electronically file documents. Attorneys in criminal cases must electronically file documents except for good cause shown in a motion filed in the appellate court. [Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 9.2, Electronic Filing](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1461885/texas-rules-of-appellate-procedure.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://www.txcourts.gov/4thcoa/about-the-court/justices/justice-velia-j-meza/) - [Official roster](https://www.txcourts.gov/4thcoa/about-the-court/justices/justice-velia-j-meza/) - [Texas Judicial Branch official judicial roster](https://www.txcourts.gov/4thcoa/about-the-court/justices/justice-velia-j-meza/) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15870/velia-j-meza/) - [Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 9.2, Electronic Filing](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1461885/texas-rules-of-appellate-procedure.pdf) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15870/velia-j-meza/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/velia-j-meza-tx-4th-court-appeals", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/velia-j-meza-tx-4th-court-appeals", "name": "Velia J. 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