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Ballotpedia, Emily Miskel

Emily holds a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University and a law degree from Harvard Law School. She is Methodist. 

Emily previously worked as an attorney at the law firms KoonsFuller, PC, and Thompson & Knight. 

Emily A. Miskel currently serves as a Place 13 Judge of on the Texas 5th District Court of Appeals. She was elected to this position in 2022. She previously served as a district court judge in District 470. She was named to this position in 2015 and served 1 full term. She is the chairperson of Civil Justice for the Texas Judicial Council and the vice-chairperson of the Supreme Court of Texas Remote Proceedings Task Force. 

Candidate website

As a state court of appeals judge for 2 years, Miskel ensures the law has been applied correctly in state criminal and civil cases, exercises the authority to correct procedural errors or misinterpretations of fact or law by lower appeals and trial courts, and hears applications for court orders that compel and prohibit certain actions by lower courts and government officials.

As a state district court judge for 7 years, Miskel oversaw all felony, probate, and civil cases, ruled in all civil actions against the state seeking financial payment, authorized naturalization proceedings, and exercised authority to review and correct the rulings of lower courts.

As an attorney at KoonsFuller, PC for 6 years, Miskel researched, drafted, and filed legal documents, and provided defense and counsel to clients.

As an attorney at Thompson & Knight for 1 year, Miskel researched, drafted, and filed legal documents, and provided defense and counsel to clients, specializing in patent, environmental, and international energy.

Frequently speaks on legal technology topics such as electronic evidence, e-discovery, data theft, interception of communications, and online impersonation.

As a judge, held the first virtual bench trial in Texas and the first virtual jury trial in the world.

As a judge, Miskel held the first virtual bench trial in Texas and the first virtual jury trial in the world.

- As a state court of appeals judge for 2 years, Miskel ensures the law has been applied correctly in state criminal and civil cases, exercises the authority to correct procedural errors or misinterpretations of fact or law by lower appeals and trial courts, and hears applications for court orders that compel and prohibit certain actions by lower courts and government officials.
- As a state district court judge for 7 years, Miskel oversaw all felony, probate, and civil cases, ruled in all civil actions against the state seeking financial payment, authorized naturalization proceedings, and exercised authority to review and correct the rulings of lower courts.
- As an attorney at KoonsFuller, PC for 6 years, Miskel researched, drafted, and filed legal documents, and provided defense and counsel to clients.
- As an attorney at Thompson & Knight for 1 year, Miskel researched, drafted, and filed legal documents, and provided defense and counsel to clients, specializing in patent, environmental, and international energy.
- Frequently speaks on legal technology topics such as electronic evidence, e-discovery, data theft, interception of communications, and online impersonation.
- As a judge, Miskel held the first virtual bench trial in Texas and the first virtual jury trial in the world.

Legal Experience

Believes in being accountable to taxpayers.

Supports managing public funds adequately and well and using resources efficiently and effectively.

Supports innovative management and administration.

Supports open and transparent government, accountability to taxpayers, and self-enforcement of legal and ethical rules.

Supports government transparency with the public. 

- Believes in being accountable to taxpayers.
- Supports managing public funds adequately and well and using resources efficiently and effectively.
- Supports established term limits.
- Supports innovative management and administration.
- Supports government transparency with the public. 

Judicial Administration

Plans to uphold judicial values of integrity, fairness, and respect.

Strives to "to always live up to" the judicial values of Rule of Law, Equal Justice, Accountability, Excellence, and Service. 

- Strives to "to always live up to" the judicial values of Rule of Law, Equal Justice, Accountability, Excellence, and Service. 

Judicial Philosophy

As of September 7, 2024, Emily A. Miskel’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Ethics & Conduct

Volunteered as an attorney in a pro bono divorce clinic.

- Volunteered as an attorney in a pro bono divorce clinic.

Community Involvement

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Emily A. Miskel

As of September 12, 2024, Emily A. Miskel’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Emily A. Miskel serves as a Justice on the 5th District Court of Appeals in Dallas, Texas. She previously served as a judge of the 470th District Court of Collin County, Texas, from 2015 to 2022. She has also worked at KoonsFuller and Thompson & Knight in Plano and Dallas, Texas, respectively.

Emily A. Miskel currently serves as a Justice on the 5th District Court of Appeals in Dallas, Texas, a position she has held since 2022. She previously served as a judge of the 470th District Court of Collin County, Texas, from 2015 to 2022. Miskel is the Chair of Civil Justice for the Texas Judicial Council and serves on the Supreme Court Advisory Committee.

Presented on the admissibility of electronic evidence at the 2015 Annual Judicial Education Conference.

Completed a course on electronically stored information (ESI) and advanced family law in Texas in 2015.

Completed a course on presenting cases in Texas courts and handling divorce cases, which included advice from judges and experienced attorneys.

Completed a course on online impersonation, revenge porn, and other new causes of action.

Presented on revenge porn and other new causes of action for family law at the San Antonio Bar Association Family Law Section Meeting in March 2017.

Completed a course on technology tools for litigation at the State Bar of Texas in October 2016.

Has expertise in wiretapping and data interception.

Completed an advanced criminal law course on data privacy and criminal justice.

Completed a course on restraining orders, protective orders, and peace bonds.

Wrote an article for the Collin County Bar Association on practice management tips for lawyers transitioning from private practice to judicial roles.

Has experience in family law, having prepared and presented a case for final trial as part of the Family Law 101 Course offered by the State Bar of Texas in July 2016.

Presented on the topic of "Presentation of Electronic Evidence" at the Collin County Bench Bar Conference in April 2016.

Wrote a paper on the legal presumptions, burdens, statutes, and case law involved in child custody cases.

Participated in a family law seminar and spoke on the topic of "Everything You Always Wanted to Ask a Judge but Were Afraid They Would Know It Was Me."

Believes in "excellence" through continuous legal education, high standards, and innovative management.

Believes in dedication to meeting the needs of jurors, court users, and the public in a timely, effective, and accessible manner.

Supports virtual hearings for district judges.

Participated in a national judicial roundtable discussing the impact of the pandemic on jury trials.

Believes in exploring the impact of remote court systems on the future of justice and the legal profession.

Believes in providing legal and technology tips for successful remote trials, having presented on Zoom court for the Dallas Bar Association.

Believes in addressing the challenges of virtual courtrooms.

Served on the Judicial Panel for the Family Law Section of the Collin County Bar Association in October 2020.

Believes in improving court access through technology, as evidenced by participation in the Access & Accountability Conference at Yale Law School, discussing the impact of Zoom Justice on future court accessibility.

Believes in the use of technology to improve judicial efficiency, as demonstrated by participation in Zoom arguments during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Believes in the importance of in-person trials and opposed virtual trials.

Believes in mastering technology for effective legal practice, as demonstrated by participation in "Practicing Effectively via Zoom, Conquering Technology in Criminal Practice," a Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association seminar on optimizing virtual platforms for criminal defense work.

Believes in transparency and public engagement in judicial administration.

Believes in modernizing court systems to improve efficiency and administration.

Believes in "legal predictability, continuity, and coherence; reasoned decisions made through publicly visible processes and based faithfully on the law."

Believes in "fairness and impartiality in the administration of justice" and "treatment of all with dignity and respect."

Believes in the importance of judicial nominations and discussed the topic at the Harvard Law School Federalist Society's Alumni Symposium in March 2019.

Believes in upholding the law and ensuring justice is served.

Plans to uphold the judicial values of integrity, fairness, and respect.

Believes in maintaining ethical standards for judges on social media.

Attended the Annual Meeting of the State Bar of Texas in June 2019 and participated in a session on "Ethical Issues with Technology in the Courtroom."

Supports transparency in campaign finance by disclosing detailed donor information.

The candidate's website does not provide information on their employer, occupation, and job title.

Supports transparency in campaign financing, as evidenced by her website's disclosure of political advertising paid for by her.

The candidate's website says, "If your spouse is a lawyer, the name of the spouse’s law firm."

Wrote an article on wiretapping for the Collin County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association in October 2015.

Completed the Plano Youth Leadership Program.

Volunteered with the Allen Sunrise Rotary Club in February 2018.

Served on the Community Advisory Panel of the Junior League of Collin County.

- In Texas, appeals from district and county courts, except death penalty cases, go to one of 14 intermediate courts of appeal.
- There are a total of 80 appellate court seats, distributed variably among the courts based on population across the 14 districts.
- Courts with more than three justices decide cases in rotating panels of three.
- Justices are elected in partisan elections for six-year terms.
- The yearly salary for a Court of Appeals justice in Texas is between $192,500 and $255,050 based on the total number of years they have served.

Hears appeals on orders and decisions made by lower trial courts.