Hon. Roy B. Ferguson
Special/Private/Visiting Judge, Mediator, and Arbitrator
Former Judge of 394th District Court of Texas
Judge Roy Ferguson presided for twelve years over a five-county court of general jurisdiction in far west Texas, covering roughly 20,000 square miles and 20% of the US-Mexico border. He is the 32nd district judge in Texas history to author a published appellate opinion, issued during his nine-year assignment to the 8th Court of Appeals. He is board certification in both family law and judicial administration – the only former Texas judge to hold this distinction.
Judge Ferguson is dedicated to improving the quality of justice for all Texans. He is a member of the Family Law Section council and co-chair of its Judiciary Committee. He is a commissioner on the Texas Children’s Commission and chair of its Child Welfare Attorney Ad Litem Standards of Representation Committee, an executive committee member and commissioner of the Texas Access to Justice Commission and co-chair of its Rural Access Committee, a trustee and sustaining life fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, and a fellow of the Texas Bar College Society of Legal Scholars.
Judge Ferguson is active in State Bar of Texas leadership, currently serving as chair of the Trial Subcommittee of the State Bar Court Rules Committee, and in leadership for the Computer & Technology Section, Judicial Section, and GPSOLO Sections. One of the most tech-forward judges in the state, he served on the Texas Remote Proceedings Task Force (which helped create and launch virtual courtrooms during the pandemic), Texas Taskforce for Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Law (T.R.A.I.L.), the Texas Supreme Court’s Judicial Committee on Information Technology, Uniform Case Management System Study Group, Judicial Needs Assessment Committee, NCSC Hybrid Proceedings Task Force, and the Judicial Council Civil Justice Committee’s Advisory Council.
Judge Ferguson’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. He is the 2025 recipient of the Judge Merrill Hartman Pro Bono Judge Award from the State Bar of Texas Legal Services to the Poor in Civil Matters Committee, the 2024 Dan Price Award honoree, bestowed upon an exceptionally distinguished lawyer or judge who had a significant impact on the practice of family law (the third sitting judge ever to receive this honor), and the 2024 recipient of the Robert R. Dawson Award (which recognizes outstanding service to improve the way Texas provides counsel for its poorest citizens accused of crimes—the first judge to ever receive this honor). Judge Ferguson was named a 2025 “Legal Rebel” by the American Bar Association—a designation bestowed upon persons whose innovations remake the legal profession and set new standards that will guide the profession in the future.
Judge Ferguson is a passionate and highly sought-after educational speaker on topics including artificial intelligence, courtroom technology, and virtual advocacy, civil litigation, family law, criminal law, child welfare law, legal and judicial ethics, procedural justice, evidence, and access to justice. He is the 2024 recipient of the Texas Bar College Pat Nester Outstanding Achievement in Continuing Legal Education Award, and was named the Texas Center for the Judiciary’s 2024 Exemplary Speaker.