Week 2 Honorable Elma Teresa Salinas Ender In 1983, when she was appointed District Judge in Texas' 341st Judicial District by Governor Mark White, Elma Teresa Salinas Ender was the first Mexican-American woman in Texas history to achieve that distinction. In that capacity, she handles both civil and criminal cases and has jurisdiction over all felonies. Re-elected five times since her appointment, Judge Salinas Ender continues to serve the community through her active involvement in a wide range of civic activities in the areas of justice, education, women's advancement, and the legal profession. Judge Salinas Ender has been named by the Texas Supreme Court to serve on the Texas Access to Justice Commission and is a member of the Task Force on Foster Care. She was appointed in 1995 by then-Governor George Bush to an ad hoc committee charged with rewriting the Texas Code of Criminal Procedures. In 1986, Governor Mark White appointed her to serve on a Task Force that drafted professional standards to be used to certify juvenile detention centers. She was elected by her peers to serve as President, Vice President, and 4th Administrative District Representative for the Texas District Judges' Association from 1993 to 1996. Judge Salinas Ender has also been active with the Texas Center for the Judiciary as a member of the faculty and as a planning committee member for regional conferences and seminars. From 1981 to 1984, she served as a member of the committee on Admissions and Grievances for the Southern District of Texas, United States District Court. Active in both the State Bar of Texas and the American Bar Association, and also in local lawyers' groups, Judge Salinas Ender has made valuable contributions to the life of the profession. Her leadership in organizations committed to the advancement of women, including the Laredo Business and Professional Women's Association; her participation in the National Hispana Leadership Institute, which included study at Harvard University's JFK School of Public Affairs; and her service as a steering committee member and panelist at the Tenth National Conference on Women and the Law, have further enhanced her professional development. Judge Salinas Ender serves as Local Administrative Judge. She is a member of several statutory boards, including the Webb County Juvenile Board, the Webb County Bail Bond Board, and the Webb County Community Justice Council. She has also served on the boards of civic organizations including Laredo Community in Schools, Laredo Community College, Boys Club, B.A.S.T.A. (Barrios Alertos Siempre Toman Accion), and S.C.A.N. (Stop Child Abuse & Neglect). Judge Salinas Ender credits "Perry Mason" and other detective shows on television, as well as a novel about a woman attorney that she read while in middle school, as her introduction to considering a career as an attorney. Although she was unaware of the actual steps it would take to achieve her goal of becoming a lawyer, she visualized her dream and pursued it. Armed with her family's strong work ethic and belief in education as the key to success, she matriculated at the University of Texas at Austin and graduated in 1974. Scholarships and student loans helped her fund her education, and Salinas Ender also worked and "did without" through college and law school to accomplish her educational goals. After earning her law degree from St. Mary's University School of Law in 1978, Salinas Ender began her career working as a law clerk in the Webb County District Attorney's office, where she drafted pleadings and conducted research. Within six months she was engaged in general civil practice with a firm. She also taught at Laredo State University and was a partner in Alvarado, Salinas & Barto, where she handled civil litigation, family law, and criminal cases with an emphasis on real estate, corporate, probate, and estate planning. Judge Salinas Ender's many honors and awards include Las Primeras from the National Mexican-American Women's Association, the St. Mary's University School of Law Rosewood Gavel Award, and being named as one of the 75 most influential Hispanics in Texas. She has overcome many challenges to achieve her goals. After her initial appointment to the bench, she had to campaign for re-election and set up a new court, which included supervising its construction and furnishing. Believing that her success is important to the Mexican-American women who follow her, she strives to keep the doors open for them and rejoices in the number of Mexican-American women who now serve on the appellate and district court benches in Texas. Judge Salinas Ender is married and is the proud mother of two "strong, creative, intelligent and caring daughters" whose contributions to their chosen professions and the wider community also promise to be remarkable. She encourages young people who wish to heed the call for service as an attorney to prepare themselves by studying hard, reading to expand their vocabulary, and getting involved in the community. The American Bar Association is proud to honor Judge Elma Salinas Ender in celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month 2002. Photo Usage: Permission to use the above photo was granted by Judge Salinas Ender. Hispanic Heritage Month 2002 | Links