Chris Morales, the Republican judge of Fort Bend County Court at Law No. 1, is seeking a fourth term in the Nov. 3 general election. He faces Democrat Nireasha Murray, who was the only candidate for the seat in the March 3 Democratic primary, according to the county's sample ballot.
Morales has held the bench since January 2015. In a questionnaire response to Surround Sound News, he said experience is the qualification for a judicial seat. He noted he is in his 12th year in the job and has handled every type of case the court hears: criminal, civil, juvenile, probate, guardianship and mental health.
"I want Fort Bend County to stand out in the entire State of Texas as the place where justice is fair, swift, and delivered with respect," Morales said in his questionnaire response.
Candidate information
- Office sought: Fort Bend County Court at Law Judge, Court 1
- Party: Republican
- Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
- Residence: Fort Bend County. He describes himself as a lifelong resident.
- Education: B.F. Terry High School, Rosenberg; bachelor's degree in environmental design, Texas A&M University (2003); law degree, South Texas College of Law Houston (2006)
- Family: He is married to Vanessa, his high school sweetheart, and they are raising two children in Fort Bend County. His father, Vincent Morales Jr., is a former Rosenberg mayor and the current Fort Bend County Precinct 1 commissioner.
- Website: judgemorales.com
Experience and public service
Morales began his legal career as an assistant district attorney in the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office, handling misdemeanor and juvenile cases. He later practiced civil litigation and then opened his own firm in Richmond, focused on the county courts at law.
He was first elected to the Court at Law No. 1 bench in 2014 and won reelection in 2018 and 2022. From 2017 to 2019, his fellow judges selected him as administrative judge of the Fort Bend County Courts at Law.
He serves on the Judicial Section Board of the State Bar of Texas. He has also served on the Fort Bend County Mental Health Advisory Board and the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce board. For the past five years, he has taught trial advocacy as an adjunct professor at the University of Houston Law Center.
On the issues
Case backlogs and court efficiency: Morales said his docket control orders cut criminal trial times from 24 months to nine to 12 months and reduced civil trial waits from four years to under 14 months. He said his court handled more court actions than any other Fort Bend County Court at Law in 2024. He also said it was among the top of the region's 33 statutory county courts at resolving cases in 2025.
Mental health court: Morales said he took over the county's only misdemeanor mental health court and grew it into a program designed to reduce repeat offenses. His campaign website says the court helps veterans and people with mental health challenges get treatment and support.
Court technology: Morales said he was the first Fort Bend County judge to conduct a fully remote video conference hearing. According to his campaign website, his court held 345 Zoom hearings during the COVID-19 pandemic, more than any other court in the county.
Bail and public safety: On his campaign website, Morales said he will work to make sure magistrate judges follow bail laws as they were intended. He said that approach protects both individual rights and public safety.
Juvenile justice: Morales said he requires every young person on his juvenile docket to earn a diploma or GED. He said he helped start a GED graduation ceremony for juveniles that began with eight students in his courtroom and graduates as many as 28 each year.
