She knows the job and what it requires.
Welcome!
Elizabeth "Peach" Ray, a native Texan, was graduated from Baylor Law School in 1978. She spent the next thirty years honing her skills in civil litigation, first as a trial attorney for fourteen years, and then as a civil district judge in Harris County for seventeen years. She first ran for office against a Democrat, Judge Ken Harrison, in 1992, and was successfully re-elected in 1996, 2000 and 2004. She lost the 2008 election (the Democratic sweep year) by less than 400 votes out of 1.2 million cast.
Judge Ray* is board certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Civil Trial Law and is a member of ABOTA (American Board of Trial Advocates). She was voted Trial Judge of the Year in 2006, and one of the top ten Women on the Move in 1999.
While serving as a civil district judge, Judge Ray was also elected twice by the other 58 Harris County District judges to serve as the Administrative Judge, where she managed over two hundred employees and an annual budget in excess of twenty million dollars. In this position, she was instrumental in obtaining funding and voter approval for the $120,000,000 Harris County Civil Courthouse, which was constructed on time and under budget. She was the first female to ever be elected to this post.
From January 2009 until June 2010, Judge Ray served as General Counsel, Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Compliance Officer for Water Standard, a global, vessel based water desalination company based in Houston.
Judge Ray was certified as a mediator in 1991 and currently performs mediation and arbitration services, specializing in complex civil cases. She continues to sit as a visiting judge throughout the state.
Judge Ray is a widow and has 4 children ranging in age from 30 to 17. She is active in her church and confirms that her only hobby would appear to be raising kids! She is a lifetime member of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, serving on the International Committee, as well as a volunteer with the Lamar High School PTO.
*Judge Ray is a Former District Court Judge.
