*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-WEB:aaaaca19-63da-4272-90f6-1f4689d7c4a5-2" data-turn-id-container= "request-WEB:aaaaca19-63da-4272-90f6-1f4689d7c4a5-2" data-testid= "conversation-turn-6" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn= "assistant">

In this episode of The Dirty Verdict, hosts Peter Taaffe, Bill Ogden, and Kyle Herbert sit down with Judge Christine Weems of the 281st District Court in Harris County, Texas for a wide-ranging conversation about law, trial work, mock trial, theater, and the unexpected path that shaped her career.

Judge Weems shares how she went from an English major at the University of Texas to South Texas College of Law, where mock trial helped her overcome a fear of public speaking and discover her love for advocacy. She talks about early trial experience, mass tort litigation, moving between Houston, Dallas, and New York, working document review while pursuing theater, and eventually returning to Texas to build a litigation career that led to the bench.

The conversation also covers what motivated her to run for judge, the importance of trial experience on the bench, and her continued work in the arts through Cone Man Running Productions, including lawyer-cast theater productions that even offer CLE credit.

Episode Highlights

• Judge Weems' unconventional path from English major to trial lawyer to district court judge
• How mock trial helped her overcome fear of public speaking and discover courtroom advocacy
• Early lessons from working as a law clerk and being handed real litigation responsibility
• The impact of tort reform on asbestos and silica litigation work in Texas
• Her time in New York pursuing acting, theater, and entertainment work while still practicing law
• Returning to Texas for Hurricane Ike litigation and rebuilding a trial-focused career
• Why trial experience matters for judges and how courtroom experience shaped her decision to run
• The story behind Cone Man Running Productions and its lawyer-led theater productions
• How legal professionals can participate in or attend theater productions while earning CLE credit

Chapters / Major Topics

00:00 — Introduction to Judge Christine Weems 01:43 — College background, UT, English major, Spanish minor, and unusual classes 05:26 — Discovering mock trial and meeting Brett Dressler 07:02 — Growing up in Spring and the early pull toward law 07:57 — How mock trial helped her overcome fear of public speaking 08:43 — South Texas College of Law and early work with Robert Clark 09:22 — Choosing litigation over transactional law 10:29 — First jury verdict and early trial experience 11:12 — Moving to Dallas after 9/11 and working in asbestos litigation 12:39 — Missing the courtroom and returning to plaintiff-side trial work 14:08 — Houston theater, acting, and finding a creative outlet outside law 15:12 — Going to New York for acting conservatory 16:06 — Tort reform, asbestos/silica litigation, and a shifting job market 18:51 — Document review, theater work, and extra roles on 30 Rock and Law & Order 21:57 — Meeting her husband, family life, and deciding where to practice law 22:36 — Returning to Texas for Hurricane Ike litigation 23:30 — Personal injury work, board certification, and trying cases 24:12 — Judicial discretion, courtroom experience, and what sparked the idea of running 26:17 — Why she decided to run for judge 26:48 — The 2018 judicial race and life on the bench 29:51 — Founding Cone Man Running Productions 31:07 — Lawyer-cast theater productions and CLE credit 36:18 — Promoting And Then There Were None at Spring Street Studios