Judge Hon. Marc Carter (Ret.) presided over the 228th District Court in Harris County Texas from December 2003-January 2019. He resolved thousands of cases through trials, hearings, and pleas.  Prior to his appointment to the bench by Governor Rick Perry in 2003, Judge Carter was a law clerk for the Honorable Kenneth M. Hoyt, United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.  He also served as a trial lawyer with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office and later as a  criminal defense attorney. 

Hon. Marc Carter received his undergraduate degree from The University of Texas at Austin and his law degree from The Thurgood Marshall School of Law.   In 1981, he was commissioned in the United States Army as a lieutenant in the Army Intelligence Corps. He achieved the rank of captain while serving in Germany, supervising 250 soldiers that collected theater level intelligence in support of combat units in Western Europe. 

Judge Carter’s signature achievement as judge was the creation of the first Veterans’ Treatment Court program in Texas.  His treatment court collaborated with the DeBakey Veteran’s Medical Center to provide clients with treatment for mental health disorders and addictions. His court received national recognition and he was featured on  CBS “60 Minutes” and PBS “Need to Know.” 

Hon. Marc Carter has received several national, state, and local awards for his work with veterans and for criminal justice reform.  These awards include; The “William Rehnquist Award 2016” for judicial excellence presented to him by Chief Justice John Roberts and The Nation Center for State Courts;  The “Ima Hogg Award 2016”  presented by Mental Health America for his work with persons affected by mental illness; The “Praxis Award” presented by Villanova University 2013 for professional ethics; The “Johnny Klevenhagen Award 2014” presented by Crime Stoppers Houston for innovation and criminal justice reform;  The State Bar of Texas “Pro Bono Award 2016” which recognized his commitment to legal services for the poor;  The State Bar of Texas African American Lawyers Section “Distinguish Jurist Award” 2017;  and The NAACP “Jesse Brown Distinguished Leadership Award” for criminal justice reform. 

Prior to Hon. Marc Carter’s appointment to the bench in 2003, Judge Carter had an extensive trial and  appellate practice. As a prosecutor and defense lawyer Judge Carter tried over 75 trials in state and federal courts.  As a felony prosecutor he never lost a trial.  As a defense lawyer his most celebrated victory was an acquittal in United States v. Sergiy Lyubikovsky, a Ukrainian sailor wrongfully accused of transporting twelve tons of cocaine on a ship seized in the Port of Galveston. This was one of the largest drug seizures in America.  

While a defense lawyer, he also represented clients on appeal arguing cases at the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.  He has handled complex litigation at all levels to include capital murder cases in trial, appeal and in federal writs. 

After retiring from the bench and before joining Kherkher Garcia, he opened a law office focusing on criminal and civil trial law.

In addition to his legal practice, Hon. Marc Carter serves as a Regent for Texas Southern University. He also serves on the Board for Mental Health America and The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD.  

SIGNIFICANT KEYNOTE REPRESENTATIONS

• Keynote Speaker at the United States Supreme Court Law Clerk Luncheon, General Counsel to the United States Supreme Court, 2016
• Keynote Speaker at the National Center for State Courts Annual Dinner, National Center for State Courts, Washington D.C., 2016 
• Keynote Speaker at the NAACP National Convention, NAACP Military Veterans, 2018 
• Veterans Treatment Courts, National Association of Drug Court Professionals, 2018 
• Keynote Speaker Villanova University, Department of Ethics 2013