Thirteenth Court of Appeals

Chief Justice Jaime E. Tijerina

Place 1

Justice Jaime Eduardo Tijerina was elected as the Chief of the 13th Court of Appeals in November 2024. Justice Tijerina was previously appointed to the court by Governor Greg Abbott in August of 2019 and was elected in November 2020 to serve a full term. Justice Tijerina also served as the 464th and 93rd District Court Judge in 2018 and... Read more

Justice Clarissa Silva

Place 6

Justice Lionel Aron Peña Jr.

Place 3

Justice Lionel Aron Peña Jr. was elected to the 13th Court of Appeals, Place 3 on November 8, 2022.  The eldest of six siblings, he is the son of Lionel Aron Peña, Sr. and Sylvia Alamia Peña. After attending primary schools in his home community of Edinburg, he graduated from Edinburg High School in 1977. Peña graduated from the University of Texas... Read more

Justice Jon West

Place 5

Justice Jenny Cron

Place 2

Justice Ysmael D. Fonseca

Place 4

Justice Ysmael D. Fonseca was born and raised in South Texas. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a B.A. degree, with honors, in Political Science and Spanish Literature in 2003 and a J.D. degree, with honors, in 2009. Prior to attending law school, he served as a Paralegal Specialist for the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division... Read more