Judge's Biography | Ellis County, TX Official Website

Jim Chapman is a fifth generation Ellis County native. He earned a bachelor's degree from Southern Methodist in 1988 and a law degree from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law in 1991.  He obtained a Master of Business Administration from the Yale School of Management in 2001 and earned a Distinction in coursework at the Yale Law School as part of the M.B.A. program.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Judge, Ellis County Court at Law 2011 to present

Chapman & Chapman LLP 1991 - 2010

Judge Chapman’s practice focused on Probate, Real Estate, Business and Municipal law.

Judges Bio | Ellis County, TX

Jim previously practiced probate, real estate, business, and municipal law at Chapman & Chapman LLP.

COUNTY JUDGE JOHN WRAY, Appointed COUNTY 2026 REP 4
JUDGE, COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO. 1 JIM CHAPMAN COUNTY 2026 REP 4
JUDGE, COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO. 2 A. GENE CALVERT JR COUNTY 2026 REP 4

Elected Officials List (Ellis County, Texas)

Jim currently serves as judge of the Ellis County Court at Law No. 1, a position he has held since 2011.

2026 Texas General Election

Practiced probate, real estate, business, and municipal law at Chapman & Chapman LLP from 1991 to 2010.

- Practiced probate, real estate, business, and municipal law at Chapman & Chapman LLP from 1991 to 2010.

Legal Experience

As of July 22, 2026, Jim Chapman did not have a website or any information online.

Judicial Philosophy

I. Administrative
A. Request for Hearing and Required Submission of Documents. The Court requires the use of the Court’s promulgated Probate/Heirship Uncontested Hearing Request Form/Checklist when an applicant requests a prove-up hearing for a case. The form is available on the Court’s website and should be submitted and signed by counsel for the applicant. The documents listed on the Checklist will need to be submitted via email to the Court Coordinator, Tianta Schwartz, at ccl1coordinator@co.ellis.tx.us, at the same time the hearing request is made. Once the Court has determined the case is ready to go, a hearing date will be set by the Court Coordinator.

Ellis County Court at Law No. 1 — Heirship Guide (JUDGE JIM CHAPMAN) (PDF)

B. Attorney Ad Litem. In every determination of heirship, the Court will appoint an attorney ad litem to represent the decedent’s unknown heirs and, if any, known heirs whose whereabouts are unknown and known heirs suffering legal disability. The attorney ad litem’s presence is required at the hearing. The applicant shall pay a $600 deposit into the registry of the Court towards the ad litem expense.

Please contact the court coordinator at least 72 hours in advance of a hearing to obtain a Webex hearing link if an exception applies.

The Court prefers that all heirship determinations be complete within 60 days of filing the application, but please do not call to schedule an heirship hearing until the following have been taken care of:

C. In Person Hearings. The Court has returned to in person hearings for all matters. All counsel, parties and witnesses must attend hearings in person. The following exceptions apply and Webex shall be available for the following persons to participate remotely in hearings:
 A non-party witness who resides, or was served with a subpoena, more than 150 miles from Ellis County, Texas.
 A person who produces a letter from a medical doctor stating that a medical issue necessitates their remote appearance.
 All Mental Health proceedings.

Please contact the court coordinator at least 72 hours in advance of a hearing to obtain a Webex hearing link if an exception applies.

Opening with a statement to Little, the letter signed by 40th District Court Judge Bob Carroll, 378th District Court Judge William Wallace, 443rd District Court Judge Cindy Ermatinger, Ellis County Court at Law No. 1 Judge Jim Chapman, Ellis County Court at Law No. 2 Judge Gene Calvert, and Ellis County Court at Law No. 3 Judge Joe Gallo read: “We appreciate your ongoing effort to equip our local judiciary with cost effective resources which are designed to assist the judges in continuing to deliver a high-quality system of justice here in Ellis County.”

The judges ended their letter to Little with the remarks that “given the rushed events over the past two weeks leading up to the grant deadline, and the inconsistencies addressed above, the undersigned trial court judges hereby withdraw our … letter of support for the MAC option dated April 14.”

County judge signs letter on behalf of court judges without authorization | Ellis County Press

As a county court-at-law judge, requires applicants to submit a court checklist and documents when requesting probate or heirship prove-up hearings.

As a county court-at-law judge, appoints an attorney ad litem for every heirship determination to represent unknown, absent, or legally disabled heirs.

As a county court-at-law judge, sets a goal of completing heirship determinations within 60 days of an application filing.

As a county court-at-law judge, requires in-person hearings while allowing remote participation for specified witnesses, medical needs, and mental-health proceedings.

Withdrew support for the Managed-Assigned Counsel option, citing rushed events before the grant deadline and inconsistencies.

- As a county court-at-law judge, requires applicants to submit a court checklist and documents when requesting probate or heirship prove-up hearings.
- As a county court-at-law judge, appoints an attorney ad litem for every heirship determination to represent unknown, absent, or legally disabled heirs.
- As a county court-at-law judge, sets a goal of completing heirship determinations within 60 days of an application filing.
- As a county court-at-law judge, requires in-person hearings while allowing remote participation for specified witnesses, medical needs, and mental-health proceedings.
- Withdrew support for the Managed-Assigned Counsel option, citing rushed events before the grant deadline and inconsistencies.

Judicial Administration

Ethics & Conduct

Community Involvement

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LinkedIn

Jim Chapman

As of July 22, 2026, Jim Chapman’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- As a county court-at-law judge, requires applicants to submit a court checklist and documents when requesting probate or heirship prove-up hearings.
- As a county court-at-law judge, appoints an attorney ad litem for every heirship determination to represent unknown, absent, or legally disabled heirs.
- As a county court-at-law judge, sets a goal of completing heirship determinations within 60 days of an application filing.
- As a county court-at-law judge, requires in-person hearings while allowing remote participation for specified witnesses, medical needs, and mental-health proceedings.

Jim Chapman is from Ellis County, Texas. He has a bachelor s degree in business administration from Southern Methodist University, a master s degree in business administration from Yale University.

Jim Chapman (Ellis County Court at Law No. 1, Texas, candidate ...

Jim is currently a judge for the Ellis County Court at Law. He was first elected in 2011. He previously served as a member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1991 to 2003 and as a member of the Texas State Board of Education from 1985 to 1991.

County Court At Law | Ellis County, TX Official Website

As a county court at law judge, oversaw civil and criminal cases, ruled on the reasonableness of bail amounts, issued search and arrest warrants, and determined sentencing in certain criminal cases.

Worked as an attorney for Chapman & Chapman LLP for 19 years.

Serves as a board member of Historic Waxahachie Inc.

Buket Urgen

Sahid Burgos

- A County Court-At-Law judge handles misdemeanors, such as assault of a family member, property theft between $750 and $2,500, and using force against a law enforcement officer. They also handle civil cases where the amount in question does not exceed $200,000. 
- County Court-At-Law judges conduct arraignments, pre-trial hearings, and jury trials, as well as accept guilty pleas. 
- They are elected in a partisan, county-wide election to a four-year term. 
- Candidates must be a U.S. citizen, at least 25 years old, have been a Texas and county resident for at least 24 consecutive months, a practicing lawyer and/or judge in Texas for at least four years, and registered to vote in that county.
- The annual salary for County Court-At-Law Judges ranges from $174,000 to $244,500, depending on years of service and how much they receive as a county supplement.

Handles civil and criminal cases from District Courts.