Fourteenth Court of Appeals
Place 5
Justice Maritza M. Antu was elected to the Fourteenth Court of Appeals, Place 5, on November 5, 2024. Prior to joining the court, Justice Antu was in private practice where she focused on criminal defense and helping low-risk and non-violent offenders reintegrate into society. Fluent in Spanish, she has provided critical support to bilingual clients in Houston.
Justice Antu began her legal career as an assistant district attorney in Harris County where she served in that capacity for 12 years. Throughout her career, she has tried over 80 cases to a jury, handling a range of cases from misdemeanors to capital murders. In 2013, she was named a “Legal Leader on the Rise” by Texas Lawyer Magazine.
In October 2021, Governor Greg Abbott appointed her as the first judge of the 482nd District Court in Harris County. In a single year, she reduced the court’s backlog by 50 percent and maintained one of the highest clearance rates among the district courts.
Justice Antu received a Bachelor of Communication degree with honors from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. She has been married to Judge Matthew Peneguy for 15 years and they have two beautiful children. They are members of St. Anne Catholic Church.