District 457
Jurisdiction: Montgomery,
District Level Probate Court Judges
Chart of Texas Judicial Department
https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1452920/court-structure-chart-september-2021.pdf
Brochure of the Court System
https://www.txcourts.gov/media/675444/The-Texas-Judicial-System_Print102714.pdf
Bexar County (2,160,088 Population)
District Courts
Oscar Kazen (IN) Judge Probate Court No. 1
Education: Kazen earned a bachelor's degree in government from the University of Texas at Austin and a J.D. degree from Texas Southern University Thurgood Marshall School of Law.
Profession: He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1984 to 1988. His career experience includes working as an associate probate judge and as a county court at law judge in Bexar County. Judge Oscar Kazen brings over 20 years of judicial experience and a deep commitment to fairness, dignity, and service in his role as Judge of Bexar County Probate Court No. 1. A Marine Corps veteran and seasoned legal professional, Judge Kazen has dedicated his career to protecting the rights and well-being of Bexar County’s most vulnerable residents.
For more than two decades, Judge Kazen has overseen sensitive cases involving guardianships, mental health care commitments, and estates. He is widely recognized for bringing both empathy and accountability to the courtroom, ensuring that every person is treated with respect and that their legal rights are protected. Under his leadership, Probate Court No. 1 has become a model for innovation, efficiency, and care—streamlining operations while never losing sight of the human impact behind every case.
Source: https://ballotpedia.org/Oscar_Kazen: https://www.kazenforjudge.com/
Jurisdiction: Bexar County
Veronica Vasquez (IN) Judge Probate Court No. 2
Education: Veronica Vasquez earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies from the University of Texas in 2002 and a J.D. degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 2008.
Profession: Elected as the first woman of color to the Bexar County Probate Courts. Her career experience includes working as a legislative aide to Texas Senator John Whitmire, as a lawyer specializing in elder law and probate at her practice, the Law Offices of Veronica L. Vasquez, P.L.L.C., and as the guardianship and probate department director and managing staff attorney at Catholic Charities in San Antonio, Texas.
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Co-Chaired the Elder Fraud and Exploitation Task Force to combat elder abuse.
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Published Probate Court 2’s attorney fee standards to bring greater transparency to court costs.
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Led the transition to virtual court proceedings during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring that Probate Court 2 never closed.
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Awarded the Barbara F. Kishpaugh Elder Advocate Award for her work in elder protection.
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Secured the first probate court staffing increase in 20 years by adding three full-time employees which included an Associate Judge.
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Published the first-ever Spanish-language probate guides in Texas, improving access to legal resources.
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Spearheaded courthouse accessibility improvements, including a designated drop-off and pick-up lane for elderly and special-needs individuals.
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Created an online scheduling portal to help practitioners receive faster hearings.
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Worked with Senator Menendez to draft SB576, which ultimately passed into law. The bill closed a loophole and strengthened protections for incapacitated seniors.
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Created the Polly Jackson Spencer Probate American Inns of Court for Bexar County probate practitioners. The inn was created to bring camaraderie to probate practitioners.
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Launched a text alert campaign to keep probate practitioners informed of the latest updates and announcements from Probate Court 2.
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Created a monthly newsletter to provide attorneys with practical tips and ensure compliance with probate law.
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Holds quarterly free Continuing Legal Education for probate practitioners.
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Partners with the San Antonio Bar Association to offer free annual guardianship certification.
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Continues to provide valuable legal education workshops for the community.
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Continues to expand probate and guardianship legal resources, furthering transparency and accessibility in the court system.
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Co-authored four legislative bills in the 89th legislative session.
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Spearheading the creation of a Bexar County Senior Justice Assessment Center.
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Collaborated with the City of San Antonio to establish a policy training employees to recognize and report senior abuse, neglect, and exploitation.​
​Source: https://ballotpedia.org/Veronica_Vasquez_(Texas); https://voteveronicavasquez.com/judge-veronica-vasquez-biography/
Jurisdiction: Bexar County
Zapata County (13,889 Population)
District 49 Judge Joe Lopez (IN) up for re-election in 2026. Judge Lopez earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and his J.D. from the University of Houston. Since taking the bench fourteen years ago, Judge Lopez has presided at over two hundred criminal and civil trials in both Webb and Zapata Counties and has disposed on average 2000 cases a year since taking office. While on the bench, Judge Lopez has been selected by the Court of Criminal Appeals to represent the trial judges of Texas as an ASTAR court judge. ASTAR’s membership selects judges from across the country for special evidence and technology training. In addition, Judge Lopez has served as a Director to the State Bar’s Judicial Section and is currently a Commissioner to the Texas Access to Justice Commission.
Source: https://law.uh.edu/judges/JOSE%20A%20LOPEZ.asp
Jurisdiction: Webb, Zapata
Zavala County (9,670 Population)
District 293 Judge Maribel Flores (IN) up for re-election in 2026. Judge Flores is a graduate of Texas Tech University School of Law and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Texas A & M University in College Station, Texas. Judge Flores graduated from Eagle Pass High School with highest honors in Eagle Pass, Texas. Source: https://www.epbusinessjournal.com/2021/11/293rd-judicial-district-court-judge-maribel-flores-announces-candidacy-for-re-election/
Jurisdiction: Dimmit, Maverick, Montgomery and Zavala
District 365 Judge Amado Abascal (IN) up for re-election in 2026. Bachelor of Arts Degree from St. Mary’s University and a Jurist Doctor Degree in 1977 from St. Mary’s University School of Law. His legal career began at the age of 23 as a practicing attorney at law as an associate with the Rey Perez Law Offices in Eagle Pass and Crystal City. Judge Abascal re-election campaign is running on a "Fair/ Experienced/Proven/Competent" slogan, according to his campaign page."Able to make Difficult, Fair and Impartial decisions while exercising sound judicial temperament with temperament with over 31 years of Experience,".
Sources :https://www.epnewsleader.com/post/attorney-edgar-juarez-to-challenge-district-judge-amado-abascal-in-upcoming-election?fbclid=IwAR3DXNKPaFWn5B_UiNq_WevHM9hN-opronZ2fkxUENrN9l7iyYrTmR3UZBo; https://www.epnewsleader.com/post/judge-amado-j-abascal-iii-seeks-re-election-as-judge-of-the-365th-district-court
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Jurisdiction: Dimmit, Maverick, Zavala