John Schmude
About John
Biography
John Schmude served as the Presiding Judge of the 247th Family District Court of Harris County, Texas from January 2015 through December 2018. As a Family District Court Judge, he disposed of more than 13,000 cases in every area of family law, including complex divorce cases, modifications, custody actions, adoptions, paternity suits and enforcements. As a Judge, he presided over more than 400 contested family law bench trials, numerous jury trials and thousands of hearings in every area of family law. In the 2017 Houston Bar Association Poll, Judge Schmude was rated as either “Excellent” or “Very Good” by nearly three quarters or more of family law practitioners in every single judicial evaluation category. After his first year in office, his court disposed of more than 4,000 cases (more than any other family court in Harris County) and was recognized repeatedly as being the most efficient court in the County for electronic filing.
From 2017-2018, at the request of the Office of the Governor of the State of Texas, he served on a Workgroup for the Judicial Commission for Children, Youth and Families, which was established by the Texas Supreme Court in 2007. In 2016, Judge Schmude was given the prestigious Family Protector Award from the Texas Home School Coalition in recognition for protecting innocent Texas families from the abuse of power through unlawful attacks in the courtroom.
Prior to his election to the Bench, John Schmude served as the President of Schmude Law Firm, which handled hundreds of cases primarily in the area of family law and business law, including complex divorce cases, custody suits, paternity actions, modifications and enforcements. He also served as Vice President of a National Bank & Credit Union consultant firm based in Houston for nearly seven years – advising financial institutions with asset sizes of more than a billion dollars. As a bank and credit union consultant, he handled numerous internal audits, prepared financial institutions for state and federal compliance examinations, and wrote policies and procedures for banks and credit unions.
John Schmude, a Native Texan, resides with his wife and children in Spring. He loves baseball and managed a local adult amateur baseball team for four years. He also enjoys helping to manage his son’s baseball team. He is a frequent CLE lecturer and speaker on numerous areas of family law with an emphasis on legal ethics. He enjoys spending time with his family and volunteering with his Church in Houston.
Practice Areas
4
Practice Areas
Fees and Rates
Cost
Always
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
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Chat withLicenses
Licensed in Texas for 16 years
State: Texas
Acquired: 2009
No misconduct found
Location
Schmude Mediations
4900 Fournace Pl, Ste 200, Bellaire, TX, 77401
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John Schmude's Reviews
Showing 1 - 5 of 11 client reviews from Avvo
Posted by anonymous | July 6, 2020 | Hired Attorney
Wattenbarger vs. Smith Case
I hired Skillern Law firm for a custody case with two children. John Schmude was assigned to my case and his performance was exceeded expectation. His knowledge of the law, meticulous detail with legal documents, mediation capability, and preparedness for court ended in a victory for my case. He ...
Posted by Kristen | February 7, 2020 | Hired Attorney
Extremely Knowledgeable Outstanding Attorney
John Schmude did an excellent job on my child support case. He was an attentive listener, and provided feedback about important details throughout my case. Every communication was timely and professional. John was tough when necessary, and used all available means for the benefit of my case. Addition...
Posted by Kristina | November 26, 2019 | Hired Attorney
John Is Everything You Hope Your Lawyer Will Be
After almost three years of legal battles and drama and multiple attorneys, we found John. He came in, made the complex simple, cut through the drama and nonsense, took quick action on my behalf, and stood his ground. He was fair, he listened, he was straightforward with me when I was wrong but he ...
Posted by Tiffany | November 23, 2019 | Hired Attorney
John is amazing!!!!!
He was efficient and thorough and empathetic and experienced!! He helped prepare for a divorce and made the process seamless and removed all the stress from the procedure.
Posted by anonymous | August 23, 2019 | Hired Attorney
great lawyer
The only reason i have an opportunity to be a father to my infant daughter is because of skillern firm. The skillern firm was my shining light thru a very dark time during my divorce. From the very moment i walked in for a consultation every person of the firm cared about my case. From the reception...
John Schmude's Lawyer Endorsements
"John Schmude is an exceptional mediator. I use him regularly in cases with complex property issues, or high-conflict child custody matters. He works efficiently while ensuring the parties feel heard and understood. He is an absolute pleasure to work with and is always one of my top choices to mediate any case."
"I have had the pleasure of working with John during his time with the Skillern Firm. John has a huge skill set that he applies to his clients situations daily and he is able to tackle any problem that presents itself during a case. He is an asset to clients and the family bar as a whole. John can offer a unique perspective to his clients, colleagues and during mediations that most lawyers can't - he was a Judge! He knows the law and is a fierce opponent. I'm blessed to have him as a colleague and would hate to have him as an opposing counsel."
"I endorse this lawyer. John was not only a wonderful Judge on the bench but he continues to work hard for his clients now that he is off the bench. He is very knowledgeable of the law and ensures that he has a good rapport with our team."
"John Schmude is a man of tremendous ability, integrity and ethics. I have every expectation that when you hire John, you will be hiring an attorney who will do his utmost for success on your behalf. It;s important to hire an attorney with extensive knowledge of family law because family law is the most complex area of civil law in Texas. John has shown through his many experiences in family law that he possesses this knowledge and knows how to use it to maximize benefits for his clients."
"I initially met John as my opposing counsel. John was always very prepared and tough in court as an opposing attorney but very pleasant to work with. After that case he was elected as a family court district judge who served with distinction. I recommend this attorney."
"I know John Schmude personally and professionally. I was privileged to work on a case with him (different clients who were closely aligned), and to have cases in his court during his much-too-short term as family court judge. His integrity and knowledge of the law are top shelf. I would place my own family law matter in his capable hands, without reservation."
"I endorse this lawyer. Very knowledgeable about the field. Has a great insight into solving complicated matters."
"I endorse this lawyer. John was an excellent Judge and, before that, an excellent lawyer. He is diligent and sincere and will not let you down."
"I strongly endorse this lawyer. Mr. Schmude is a beacon of professionalism and experience in the community. He not only gets the best for his clients, but fights tirelessly on every case. He is a credit to the profession, and I highly recommend choosing John Schmude as your attorney."
"I endorse this lawyer. I mediated a case for Attorney Schmude. He was an excellent advocate for his client. He was well prepared for this mediation. It was a difficult mediation. His opposing counsel spoke highly of his integrity & ethics."
Family lawyer
Family lawyer
Appeals lawyer
Criminal defense lawyer
Family lawyer
Probate lawyer
Family lawyer
Mediation lawyer
Experience
Honors
2023
Board Certified - Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
2018
Board Certified - Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
2016
Defender of the Family Award, Texas Home School Coalition
2008
Graduated with Honors, South Texas College of Law
2007
CALI Award - Secured Transactions, Excellence for the Future Award
2007
CALI Award - Legal Medicine, Excellence for the Future Award
2006
CALI Award - Damages, Excellence for the Future Award
1995
National Political Science Honor Society, Pi Sigma Alpha
1995
Graduated with Highest Honors, University of Massachusetts
Work Experience
2023 - Present
Schmude Mediations, Owner
2019 - Present
Partner, Skillern Law Firm
2015 - 2018
Judge - 247th District Court, State Of Texas
2010 - 2014
President, SCHMUDE LAW FIRM, PC
2009 - 2010
Attorney, H. John Schmude Legal Services
2001 - 2007
Vice President, Strunk & Associates
1999 - 2000
High School Teacher, Houston Learning Academy
Associations
2013 - Present
State Bar of TexasFamily Law Section
2009 - Present
State Bar of Texas
Sample of Legal Cases
Complete Victory
Education
2008
JD - Juris Doctor
1995
Political Science
Speaking Engagements
2018
2017
2017
What Judges Want Lawyers to Know
2017
Practical, Real World Divorce Seminar
2017
The Jury Trial: What You Need to Know to Be Successful
2016
What Family Court Judges Want You to Know
2016
Courtroom Policies & Procedures for Practice
2016
Recent Legislative Changes Most Overlooked by Lawyers
2015
2015
2015
What I Know Now (that I’m a Judge) that I Wish I Had Known then (when I was a lawyer)
2015
Gender Fairness Committee Judicial Panel
2015
Courtroom Ethics
2015
Courtroom Procedures & Ethics
Publications
2004
Languages
English
Activity
Legal Answers
Legal Answers
How do we cancel child support in front of judge while during 1st court appearance?
05 Feb 2019
Husband incarcerated in Mississippi I have lived in have lived in Texas for the last 2 years, wanting to file for divorce?
31 Jan 2019
What happens if I refuse court ordered hair follicle drug test?
04 Feb 2019