Bexar Children’s Court panel appoints new associate judge
Bexar County Children’s Court is getting another associate judge.
Raul Perales was chosen last week in a unanimous vote by Bexar County’s civil district court judges to become the third associate jurist in a newly created position authorized this year by county commissioners.
Perales, 51, will join Associate Judges Charles Montemayor and Kimberly Burley, who hear child protective services cases that involve child abuse, neglect and domestic violence, county officials said in a statement issued Monday.
“It is an honor to receive this appointment to serve the families and children of Bexar County,” Perales said in a statement. “I look forward to working collaboratively with Judge Montemayor and Judge Burley, as well as the families, attorneys, caseworkers and providers to craft solutions that are in the best interest of the children who are the subjects of these cases.”
A 1998 graduate of the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University,
Perales began a private practice in 1999, which focused on family law. He moved his firm toward an emphasis in child welfare advocacy, a passion of his, in 2009.
Last year, Perales joined the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office as a prosecutor representing Texas Department of Family and Protective Services cases.
On Monday, Judge Rosie Alvarado, chair of the Children’s Court Oversight Committee, touted Perales’ “passion for working for the best interest of children and families in the foster care system.”
“Mr. Perales brings with him a balanced and extensive background of experience in the area of child welfare law, having represented parents and children in TDFPS cases while in private practice, and also prosecuting cases on behalf of TDFPS during his time at the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office,” she said.
Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and his wife, Tracy Lynn Wolff, chairwoman of the Hidalgo Foundation, led a coalition of leaders in 2003 to raise the money to complete renovations to the third floor of the historic Bexar County Courthouse.
Part of that renovation was for Children’s Court and the programs under its umbrella. That judicial vision was implemented by Judge John Specia, then presiding judge of the 225th Civil District Court; and Judge Andy Mireles, who presided over the 73rd Civil District Court.
Judge Peter Sakai helped create and ran Children’s Court for 15 years before his retirement last year from the 225th District Court. Sakai is seeking to replace Nelson Wolff, who is not running for reelection, as Bexar County judge. Sakai is facing State Rep. Ina Minjarez in a May 24 runoff for the Democratic nomination. The winner in that contest will face Republican Trish Deberry in November.
Child-focused and childfriendly, Bexar County Children’s Court has been recognized as a national model for courts that deal with abuse and neglect. Its objective is to safely reunify families, and it leads the United States in foster children adoptions, according to information from the county.