Public Information Office 2300 Bloomdale Rd. Suite 4192 McKinney, Texas 75071 www.collincountytx.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sept. 22, 2009

Governor Perry appoints Ray Wheless to state District Court bench

(McKINNEY, Texas) – Gov. Rick Perry has appointed County Court at Law Judge Ray Wheless of Lucas as judge of the 366th Judicial District Court here, a bench position left vacant earlier this month after the court’s sitting judge resigned to go into private practice.

He will serve his first day as Judge of the 366th Judicial District Court on Oct. 1.

Judge Wheless’ appointment is for the remaining 15 months of the 366th’s unfilled term.  He will also have to run for election in the March 2010 Republican primary and in the November 2010 general election.

Judge Wheless was selected in 2000 by the Collin County Republican Party Executive Committee to fill an open seat in County Court at Law No. 4. Since April 2009, he has also served as the Local Administrative Judge for the County Courts in Collin County.

The judge is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law, and a member of and former President of both the Collin County Bar Association and the Plano Bar Association. He is also a member of the State Bar of Texas and the American Judges’ Association. Judge Wheless also founded the first drug court program in Collin County and is a member of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals. 

Judge Wheless served in the United States Air Force. He received his bachelor’s degree from California State College in San Bernardino and his law degree from the University of Texas at Austin.

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