Cheryl Elliot Thornton

Cheryl Elliott Thornton is a native Houstonian who serves as the Presiding Judge of the 164th Civil Judicial District Court. Prior to assuming the bench, Judge Elliott Thornton, a practicing attorney for over thirty years, served as Senior Assistant County Attorney for the Harris County Attorney’s Office for over ten years. To ready herself to embark on a life of public service, Judge Elliott Thornton attended and graduated from Lamar High School in Houston, Texas, Trinity University (BA) and St. Mary’s University (MA) in San Antonio, Texas, and Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University (JD) in Houston, Texas.

Her commitment to public service is exemplified through her professional enterprises not only as Harris County Senior Assistant County Attorney. She has also proudly served her community as General Counsel for Texas Southern University, Administrative Law Judge for two State agencies and Assistant Attorney General IV for the State of Texas, as well as being a teacher for our youth in both Lone Star College University Park and Houston Community College.

Judge Elliott Thornton has always believed that serving the public must include involvement in professional and personal organizations. Professionally, she has served as Co-Chair of the Gender Fairness Committee of the Houston Bar Association for which she received its President Award. During her tenure as Co-Chair of the Gender Fairness Committee, she was instrumental in spearheading the establishment of the LGBTQI Committee of the Houston Bar Association. Judge Elliott Thornton also serves as representative of the Houston Bar Association on the Houston Lawyer Referral Service Board (HLRS) for which she serves on the Executive Committee. Further, Judge Elliott Thornton is also a member of the Houston Bar Association, Association of Women Judges, the International Association of Women Judges, National Bar Association, Houston Lawyer’s Association, Women Professionals in Government, the Association of Women Attorneys and the Downtown Group.

Judge Elliott Thornton’s public service extends far beyond her professional endeavors. She has served as board member and chair for the Police Advisory Board under several police chiefs, board member and General Counsel of the World Youth Foundation, executive board member for the West MacGregor Homeowners Association, General Counsel for Senate District 13, Precinct Chair for Precinct 228 and fundraiser for The Museum at Texas Southern University, Ebony Opera Guild and the Museum of Fine Arts.