Saying Goodbye: Judge Garcia retires after more than 30 years of service
Spotlight: Judge Richard Garcia
The Honorable Judge Richard Garcia, associate judge for the 225th District Court here in Bexar County, ended his 33-year legal career at the Bexar County Children’s Court. He officially retired on April 30, 2021.
Judge Garcia received his Doctor of Juris from St. Mary’s University in 1979. After practicing law in the public sector for several years, he returned to public service as the Assistant District Attorney for Child Protective Services handling Child Abuse and Neglect cases in July 1988.
In February 1990, The Honorable Judge Richard Garcia was unanimously approved by the Bexar County District Judges and appointed as an Associate Judge, to handle Family law matters. In 2005, Judge Garcia was assigned to serve in the Bexar County Children’s Court. A position he considers both a calling and a privilege as he strived to bring justice to the most innocent of victims – the children.
His impact on the child welfare system will not soon be forgotten. Everyone that has had the privilege to work in his courtroom will miss his dedication, compassion, incredible humor and contagious smile. During his tenure he has sworn in hundreds of CASA Volunteers. His wisdom and words always seemed to inspire Volunteers to best advocate for the children. “His passion and calling shined through every word he spoke. There wasn’t one swearing in that he didn’t almost make me cry.” said Leticia Hernandez, VP of Recruitment and Training.
“Judge Garcia has always had a tremendous amount of respect for CASA, CASA recommendations and our overall mission.” said Dennis Ramsey, tenured CASA supervisor, “Even when our recommendations didn’t align, he was respectful and professional.” To Judge Garcia, every case that went through his court, was treated as if these were his own children, and that is exactly how he referred to them, “his kids”.
"He valued the information that CASA Volunteers were able to bring forth on their CASA court reports and he was always looking to see that his kids were thriving" recalls Allison Martinez, VP of Programs. Judge Garcia was constantly pushing everyone around him to seek the best for his kids. He was constantly asking the tough questions and ensuring that he had the most up to date information on his cases. He truly valued the information and insight that our Volunteers would bring to him through their court reports.
Today we pay tribute to his dedication, commitment, and professionalism. "We can only hope and pray that the next Judge to preside in Children's Court will show the empathy and love for the foster children we serve that was embodied in every decision Judge Garcia made "states Angela White, CASA CEO & President. The impacts he has made during his tenure are countless and his legacy will continue to influence everyone that works in the child welfare system.
In July 2024, CPS received a referral regarding domestic violence. The report alleged that the a father slapped the mother in front of their 10-year-old son, Vincent, and their 3-year-old daughter, Camila. Mother informed the Department that this was one of several incidents in which Father had assaulted her in front of their children. Both parents declined to participate in a safety plan. Mother and Father both have a history with CPS, and Father also has a criminal record. Due to Mother's alcohol abuse and the ongoing domestic violence between her and her partner, the Department sought the removal of Vincent, Camila, and their 14-year-old sister, Ariana. The children’s maternal grandparents expressed a willingness to care for all three siblings. CASA Volunteer Advocate, Christina Albert, was appointed to the case. She immediately contacted CPS, then reached out to the grandparents and traveled to visit the children. During that first visit, she discovered some underlying issues between the maternal grandmother and the children, particularly Vincent. Christina took the time to sit down with each family member in the household to hear directly from them. Both Vincent and Ariana shared with her that they missed their parents and wanted to return home. Initially, CPS told Christina that the parents were slow to engage with their respective family service plans. Within a few weeks, however, she scheduled one-on-one meetings with both Mother and Father, which marked the beginning of what would become a strong working relationship among the three of them. CPS later shared with Christina that, following her conversations with the parents, they began actively engaging in services, resulting in a complete turnaround. Christina continues to provide ongoing support and encouragement to both parents. Christina began using Collaborative Family Engagement (CFE) tools to get to know the children and to build meaningful connections with them. She has been an active and vocal participant in Family Group Conferences (FGCs), offering valuable insights into the family dynamic and providing feedback on areas of improvement and strengths. To this day, Christina continues to collaborate with the parents, the grandparents, CPS, and the children’s attorney to identify barriers to reunification and work toward a monitored return. While permanency has not yet been achieved, the goal remains family reunification. Christina, along with everyone involved, hopes to see the parents successfully complete their required services and create a safe, nurturing environment for their children to return to. Even though it is not a requirement, Christina travels over 120 miles each month to visit the family in person. She exemplifies CASA’s core value of commitment, advocating for the children’s needs and providing them with consistent emotional support.
Cynthia DeLeon
