William Anthony Porter at a glance
- Current role
- District Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Texas · State
- Judicial service
- Active
William Anthony Porter
District Judge · Criminal District Court No. 4
Biography
Professional career
- William Anthony “Andy” Porter is a Texas‐licensed attorney and judge serving as District Judge for Criminal District Court No. 4 in Tarrant County, Texas, a position he has held since January 1, 2023, with his current term ending December 31, 2026
Education
- Law degree from Drake University.
Additional information
- Serving on the Austin College “L” Alumni Association Board of Directors (2010–present).
- Admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1998 (Bar No. 24007857).
- Licensed to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, Texas Eastern District Court, and in Iowa.
- Judge Porter presides over the most serious felony cases in Tarrant County, including murder, child exploitation, and violent drug trafficking cases.
- Reduced the court’s average daily caseload from nearly 2,300 to about 1,300 cases.
- Tried high‐profile cases and signed acquittals where evidence did not support guilt.
- Implemented efficiency measures, eliminated wasteful spending, and streamlined processes to reduce delays for victims and defendants.
- Coordinated with law enforcement to improve case handling, contributing to lower homicide and violent crime rates in Tarrant County.
- Board‐Certified in Criminal Appellate by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
- Volunteer judge roles in Texarkana and Longview Teen Courts.
- Participation in legal conferences, bar association events, and public education programs on constitutional law.
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Remote appearances
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.
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 ↗
Recording and broadcasting
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.
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 ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21d, Appearances at Court Proceedings
Criminal District Court No. 4; Tarrant County Criminal District Court No. 4
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 ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21d, Appearances at Court Proceedings
Criminal District Court No. 4; Tarrant County Criminal District Court No. 4
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 ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Sources
Identity source checked July 27, 2026.
Biography sources checked October 11, 2026.
Texas Office of Court Administration, active Judicial Directory official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 27, 2026
View Texas Office of Court Administration, active Judicial Directory official judicial roster ↗Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21d, Appearances at Court Proceedings
Statewide source · PDF · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21d, Appearances at Court Proceedings ↗Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 18c, Recording and Broadcasting of Court Proceedings
Statewide source · PDF · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 18c, Recording and Broadcasting of Court Proceedings ↗Tarrant County Criminal District Court No. 4 official directory
Identity source · HTML · Source checked October 11, 2026
View Tarrant County Criminal District Court No. 4 official directory ↗