District 94 Judge Celina Leon 

Education: Texas Tech University, graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors of Music, serving as president of her music service sorority for two years as well section leader in the Goin’ Band from Raiderland. Celina was also selected as a new student orientation leader (Double T Crew) for four years, where she had the opportunity to welcome thousands of incoming students to Texas Tech. Masters Degree from Tech in higher education administration. University of Missouri as a Thurgood Marshall scholarship recipient. In law school she assumed multiple leadership positions for a number of student organizations. Most notably, Celina founded the Hispanic Law Student Association and was elected as the Central Regional Director for the National Latino/a Law Student Association at the national convention. Celina also worked extensively with the innocence project clinic and family violence clinic. She studied abroad in Cape Town, South Africa, where she was recognized for achieving the highest grade in comparative criminal justice. The summer before her third year of school, Celina was selected as one of five nationwide applicants to clerk for the ACLU Capital Punishment Project in Durham, North Carolina, while also clerking remotely for the Life Legal Defense Foundation. 

Profession: Celina has over 15 years of experience as both a civil and criminal litigation attorney, and is Board Certified in Criminal Law. Celina operates her own law firm, Leon Law, PLLC, along with her husband and law partner, with over 90% of her current practice dedicated to clients in District Court. Celina has dozens of trials under her belt, ranging from misdemeanors up to first-degree felonies, as well as personal injury cases. Celina worked as an Associate Attorney at the Law Office of Scott M. Ellison from 2009 until 2016, practicing primarily criminal defense. She was elected President of the criminal defense bar by her peers for the 2014 - 2015 year. In 2016 Celina branched out into civil practice, working as an Associate with the Law Office of Ralph M. Rodriguez, in civil defense litigation from 2016 until November 2020. On criminal matters, Celina has argued countless suppression motions, bond hearings, motions to revoke probation, as well as helped individuals clear their records. She has also fought hard for her clients in trial, achieving favorable outcomes. In the civil realm, Celina has argued hundreds of contested discovery matters in court and taken hundreds of depositions, as well participated in over a hundred mediations. She also has trial experience in this arena.

Celina has written over 20 appeals and petitions for both civil and criminal matters, resulting in the opportunity to argue in the Thirteenth Court of Appeals multiple times. Celina argued as sole counsel in the Texas Supreme Court on a civil forfeiture matter of first impression (while 8 1/2 months pregnant in the middle of a murder trial!).

Source: https://www.celinaforjudge.com/about-celina

Jurisdiction: Nueces