311th Family District Court

Judge Germaine J. Tanner has presided over the 311th Family District Court since January 1, 2019, following her election in November 2018; she was re-elected in November 2022, with her current term running through 2026. 

She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign, and later received her J.D. from Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. While in law school, Judge Tanner interned with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, and served under a sitting IV-D Court judge giving her particular insight into child-support, custody, and family-law issues from the very start of her career.

During her legal career before the bench, she practiced exclusively in family law, including roles as guardian ad litem, attorney ad litem, and special master; these experiences gave her direct familiarity with sensitive family-law matters. In her courtroom, practitioners frequently note that Judge Tanner is “organized and approachable,” known for listening carefully, maintaining control, and making prompt rulings.

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