Judge Julie Kocurek of the 390th District Court has been named the 2024 recipient of the William H. Rehnquist Award for Judicial Excellence.
The award is given by the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) and is one of the country’s highest judicial honors.
The recipient is decided by the Governance and Nominations Committee of NCSC’s board of directors, which includes chief justices from around the country. The chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court advises the selection of the recipient.
The Rehnquist Award honors a state court judge who has demonstrated qualities of judicial excellence, including integrity, fairness, open-mindedness, knowledge of the law, professional ethics, creativity, sound judgment, courage, and decisiveness.
Kocurek received the award specifically for her work around the country addressing judicial safety, a topic Kocurek knows all too well.
In 2015, Kocurek was shot four times by a defendant who had previously appeared before her. She was hospitalized for 40 days and returned to work several months after the attack. The Judge Julie Kocurek Courthouse Security Act was passed by the Texas Legislature in 2017, providing for the protection of judges’ personal information and stronger courthouse security.
“Judge Kocurek has overcome a life-changing event that no judge should ever have to endure,” said NCSC President Mary C. McQueen. “After an attempt on her life nine years ago, Judge Kocurek courageously returned to the bench and continued to excel in her duties. She has also used her lived experience to advocate for increased security for judicial officers in Texas and across the country.”
Kocurek will receive the award from Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts, Jr., during an event at the Supreme Court of the United States in November.
On May 22, Kocurek was among the judicial leaders who spoke on Capitol Hill in support of the Countering Threats and Attacks on our Judges Act. The bill passed the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent on June 12.
“For over 25 years, Julie Kocurek has served the people of Texas as a district judge, faithfully administering the law as one of the state’s best judges,” wrote Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht of the Texas Supreme Court. “For more than eight of those years, her service has been at enormous personal, physical, emotional and family sacrifice…Retelling, reliving her story is hard for her and her family, but it commands attention. Attacks on judges and courts are attacks on the rule of law and threaten the integrity of the justice system. Judge Kocurek has taken bold steps to strengthen the judiciary in Texas and the nation.”
Kocurek was appointed to Texas’ 390th Criminal District Court in Austin in 1999. She has presided over felony criminal cases for the last 25 years and is board-certified in criminal law. She served as the presiding administrative judge of Travis County Criminal Courts for four years and led efforts to ensure fair representation for indigent defendants, and she launched the county’s first felony mental health court.
Kocurek’s contributions to the legal and local community include service with the Austin Bar Association, the State Bar of Texas, the Calvert Inn of Court, the Texas Association of District Judges, Do the Right Thing, Helping Hand Home, Dell Seton Medical Center, and numerous other organizations.
Kocurek is a graduate of St. Mary’s University School of Law and the University of Texas at Austin.