5 Houston Center, 1401 McKinney, Suite 2250, Houston, TX 77010

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“I love working through tough legal issues
to a fair and just result.”
“I love working through tough legal issues
to a fair and just result.”

Cathy Cochran

Of Counsel
P 713.652.9000 | F 713.652.9800
ccochran@rustyhardin.com | vCard |

Cathy Cochran has both prosecuted and defended people charged with crimes. And she has filed lawsuits on behalf of civil plaintiffs and defended businesses and ordinary citizens being sued. In other words, she’s seen all sides of all manner of legal arguments, and she knows how to win. Cathy loves to have a reasoned debate, applying the law. And this is why, as a judge on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals where she served for 14 years, she is regarded as one of the most influential and consequential judges. She has a level of experience and legal insight that can serve any client in any circumstance.

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  • Education
    • J.D., summa cum laude, University of Houston Law Center, 1984
    • B.A., with distinction, Stanford University, 1966
  • Judicial Career
    • 2001 – Appointed to Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
    • 2002, 2008 – Elected to six-year terms
  • Honors
    • Best Lawyers, rated in Appellate Practice, 2017-2021
    • 2012-2013 Exemplary Judicial Faculty Award, Texas Center for the Judiciary
    • 2006 Jurist of the Year, Criminal Justice Section, Texas State Bar
    • General Editor of the 2nd edition of the Texas Rules of Evidence Handbook (1993); author and editor of the 3rd and 7th editions (1998-2007)
    • Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Criminal Law (1990-2019) and Criminal Appellate Law (2011-2019)
    • Editor-in-Chief, Houston Law Review
    • Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation
    • Professor of the Year, 1990, 1993, UH Order of the Barons; 1993, UH Student Bar Association