Montgomery County CCL 3 Judge Patrice McDonald Steps Down

CONROE, TX — Montgomery County Court at Law 3 Presiding Judge Patrice McDonald submitted her letter of resignation, the Montgomery County Commissioner's Court announced at its meeting Tuesday morning.

County Judge Mark Keough said the letter stated McDonald felt it was the right time to step down for personal reasons.

The announcement came after the court returned from executive session, and a motion was passed shortly after appointing County Court at Law 3 Associate Judge Amy Tucker as McDonald's replacement. Tucker will serve in that role until the seat is up for election, with Keough commenting that it was required that the Commissioner's Court fill the vacancy quickly and that Tucker was the best choice to preserve continuity in County Court at Law 3. McDonald's elected term ends in December 2022.

Precinct 4 Commissioner James Metts seconded the motion with the caveat that this is for the "people to decide" later, and it's more of a "caretaker position" now.

McDonald has held the CCL 3 seat since 2007 and is a past president of The Woodlands Bar Association and director of the Montgomery County Bar Association, in addition to participation in several state-level judiciary committees. McDonald was named Montgomery County employee of the year in 2013.

Tucker was appointed associate judge in December 2012. Prior to her appointment, she was the assistant county attorney for Montgomery County beginning in 2001.