Joe Grubbs, Ellis County’s district attorney for the past 18 years, served as a judge in the 1970s and 1980s. On Jan. 1, he returned to the bench. Gov. Rick Perry announced on Dec. 9 that he appointed Grubbs to fill the unexpired term of 378th District Judge Al Scoggins, who moved to Waco’s 10th Court of Appeals. Scoggins replaced Justice Felipe Reyna, whom Scoggins defeated in the March Republican Primary. Grubbs says he served as the Ellis County judge from 1975 to 1983 and as judge of the Ellis County Court-at-Law from 1983 to 1985. He says he spent several years in private practice before becoming the district and county attorney in 1993. Now that he’s back on the bench, he says, “I’m going to do the best job I can.” His term will expire after the next general election. On Dec. 17, Ellis County commissioners appointed Patrick Wilson as county and district attorney effective Jan. 1, according to an announcement on the county’s website. Wilson says he served as an assistant district attorney in Dallas County before joining the Ellis County office as an assistant county and district attorney in May 1999. Wilson’s appointed term expires in two years. He says he plans to be on the ballot for the district attorney’s post in 2012.

The Highest Bidder

Students at Baylor University School of Law recently discovered that auctioning off social events with professors can be a successful way to raise money. The Waco school’s inaugural professor auction, held last month, raised $2,600 for the local chapter of Court Appointed Special Advocates, says Ashley Parker, a third-year law student and president of the law school’s chapter of Phi Alpha Delta, which organized the event. “We thought it was a great opportunity to give students and professors a chance to know each other outside the classroom,” Parker says. “Sometimes we students forget professors are real people, too, who enjoy cooking, running and softball games.” Parker says her $260 bid won a cooking lesson for a group of five students in the home of assistant law professor Connie Powell . “She had us make gumbo, grits and gravy and pecan pie that was out of this world,” Parker says. “It was so much fun. I love cooking. That was definitely the event I wanted to go on.” Skeet shooting with law professor David Guinn garnered the highest bid of $380, Parker says. Guinn describes himself as a pheasant and dove hunter and says he’ll be taking a group of four or five students to shoot clay targets at the Waco Skeet and Trap Club and then to dinner at Diamond Back’s Steakhouse Restaurant. “We’ll really have a good time,” Guinn says. “Practicing law is a serious, stressful business. I’ve told the youngsters all through school, they need hobbies on the side to relieve the stress.” Jordan Pauluhn, a first-year student and officer in Baylor Law’s chapter of Phi Alpha Delta, says he and a few students bid together to spend time with Guinn. “I have never shot a gun before,” Pauluhn says. “That was part of the award. I like to challenge myself to try and do new things.”

New Director for Texas Film Commission

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