Rockwall County Family Court Judges
Family cases in Rockwall County are heard in four courts: the 382nd District Court, the 439th District Court, the 503rd District Court, and County Court at Law No. 1. Which one your case lands in is decided when the case is filed, not by you or your lawyer.
This page sets out who sits in each court and what that means in practice. If you are trying to work out what happens next in your own case, the Rockwall divorce and family law page covers the process end to end.
Which courts hear family cases in Rockwall County?
Rockwall County has three district courts and two county courts at law. Family cases — divorce, custody, child support, modifications and enforcement — are handled by four of them:
- 382nd District Court
- 439th District Court
- 503rd District Court
- County Court at Law No. 1
None of these is a dedicated family court. The three district courts also carry Rockwall County’s felony criminal docket and its larger civil cases. County Court at Law No. 1 handles probate, misdemeanor criminal matters and smaller civil disputes alongside its family work.
That is worth knowing before you walk in. The judge deciding your custody schedule is the same judge trying the county’s felony cases, and your hearing is set on a docket that holds all of it.
The county is small enough that these are the only benches you need to know about and to know what that court’s own standing orders require.
Who are the Rockwall County family court judges?
| Court | Judge | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 382nd District Court | Judge Brett Hall | First elected to this district bench in 2000 after leaving a career in private practice. |
| 439th District Court | Judge David Rakow | First appointed to the district bench in 2010 after its creation. Judge Rakow previously served as the Rockwall County Court at Law Judge for many years. Prior to serving as a judge, David Rakow practiced in the Rockwall and Kaufman County District Attorney’s offices. |
| 503rd District Court | Judge Brian Williams | Appointed to this district bench on December 1, 2025, Judge Williams moved over from serving as Rockwall County Court at Law #1 Judge since 2010. Prior to taking the bench, Judge Williams worked in private practice as well as the Rockwall County District Attorney’s Office. |
| County Court at Law No. 1 | Judge Keith Wheeler | Interim judge appointed to fill the vacancy created by Judge Williams moving to the district bench. Keith Wheeler was a long time respected lawyer in private practice and serves on the bench until Ben Massar takes it. Ben Massar, having won the Republican primary in Spring 2026, assumes this bench following the November 2026 election, where he is running unopposed. |
Last reviewed: October 2026.
The local rules and standing orders
Each court publishes its own rules, and Rockwall County publishes standing orders that bind both parties from the day a family case is filed. These are the county’s own documents, linked directly rather than summarized here.
The one most people need and almost nobody reads is the first. It is already in effect when the petition is filed — before any hearing, and whether or not anyone has told you about it.
- Standing Order Regarding Children, Property and Conduct of the Parties (PDF)
- Standing Order Regarding Parenting Class (PDF)
- 503rd District Court Rules and Procedures (PDF)
- Standing Order Regarding Artificial Intelligence for Court Filing (PDF)
- List of mediators, ad litem attorneys and amicus attorneys (PDF)
- Rockwall County Courts audio, video and media policy (PDF)
The order on artificial intelligence is worth reading if you have been using an AI tool to prepare anything you intend to file. We have written separately about starting your own case with AI.
Which court will my case be in?
The court is assigned when the petition is filed. You do not choose it, and neither does your lawyer.
If there is already a case involving the same children — a prior divorce, a prior custody order, a child support case — that court will retain jurisdiction over your case. Texas calls this continuing, exclusive jurisdiction, and it means a modification years later will go back to the court that made the original order, not to a new one (although the judge may have changed).
Does it matter which court I am in?
Yes, in the way the case runs. But not in the way most people are worried about.
None of these judges run their courts identically. How quickly a case moves, how a temporary orders hearing gets set and how much time you actually get for it, what a particular judge wants to hear first, how a given argument tends to land — all of it varies by court. A lawyer who is in these four courtrooms regularly knows those differences and plans around them. That is ordinary preparation, and it is most of what local knowledge actually means.
What knowing the judges does not mean
It does not mean influence, and any lawyer who suggests otherwise is telling you something that is not true.
Judges decide cases on the evidence and the law. What familiarity with a court buys you is narrower and more practical: knowing how a hearing is likely to be set and how long it will run, what a court expects to see in a filing, what gets decided on paper and what needs testimony, and how to prepare a client for a room they have never been in. Those things change what your case costs and how prepared you are. They do not change how a judge rules.
Being local also means knowing the court staff and clerk’s office, knowing the judge’s specific predilections and background, and knowing how to speak to the strengths of your case in a way the judge has ruled in the past on similar issues.
It is worth being plain about this, because it is the most common thing people hope a local lawyer is selling.
Where is the courthouse?
The Rockwall County courthouse is at 1111 East Yellowjacket Lane, Rockwall, Texas 75087. The district courtrooms are on the fourth floor. County Court at Law No. 1 recently moved to the third.
Where should I meet my lawyer?
The top floors have a large open area around the open rotunda with seating. Meet your lawyer there or inside the courtroom once they are opened. It often feels like a lot is going on, but your lawyer will find you on that floor.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the family court judges in Rockwall County?
Judge Brett Hall (382nd District Court), Judge David Rakow (439th District Court), Judge Brian Williams (503rd District Court) and County Court at Law No. 1, where Judge Keith Wheeler is serving on an interim basis through January 2027 and Ben Massar takes the bench in January 2027.
Can I choose which Rockwall County judge hears my divorce?
No. The court is assigned when the case is filed. If there is already an order involving the same children, that case usually returns to the court that made it.
Do I need a Rockwall County lawyer for a Rockwall County case?
No, any Texas-licensed lawyer can appear. What a local lawyer brings is familiarity with how these four courts actually run — setting practice, timing, what each court expects — which affects preparation and cost rather than the outcome.