Bexar County Court at Law Judge Rosie Speedlin-Gonzalez — the first openly LGBT-identified judge in the county — has resigned and accepted a permanent lifetime disqualification from judicial service in Texas, resolving multiple misconduct complaints without admitting guilt.
Speedlin-Gonzalez signed a formal agreement filed April 20 stating she had “officially and formally resigned her judicial duties effective immediately.” The agreement noted that the allegations of judicial misconduct, if found to be true, “could result in further disciplinary action.” Under the terms, she is “forever disqualified from judicial service in the State of Texas.”
The most serious incident involved a December 2024 hearing in which Speedlin-Gonzalez allegedly ordered a bailiff to handcuff defense attorney Elizabeth Russell and place her in the jury box during a dispute. Criminal charges of unlawful restraint and official oppression were filed. Four additional complaints alleged she abused judicial authority by issuing “no contact” orders to court members and restricting communication between staff and former specialty court employees.
Speedlin-Gonzalez had previously received a public warning for congratulating winning attorneys and posting their photos on social media, and a private warning for displaying a Pride flag in her courtroom. She lost her re-election bid in the March 2026 Democratic primary.
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