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New Year, New Members!
FOURTH COURT UPDATE
By Chief Justice Rebeca C. Martinez
In lieu of a traditional update on recent opinions handed down by the Fourth Court of Appeals, I take this opportunity to introduce the newest additions to the Fourth Court Family, Clerk of Court Tommy Stolhandske, and central staff attorneys Tom Mitchell and Aron Cooper.
The court bids farewell to our departing Clerk of Court Michael Cruz. Mike’s dedicated service and perseverance in the last four years, through challenging times for the state judiciary, will leave a mark on the history of the Fourth Court and in our hearts and minds.
In early February 2024, we welcomed Tommy Stolhandske as Mike’s successor. Born and raised in San Antonio, Tommy was an all-city basketball player at Churchill High School and, after graduation, moved down the road to Texas Lutheran University in Seguin. While at TLU, he was a member of the men’s basketball team and a three-time All-American and two-time finalist for the Josten’s National Player of the Year Trophy.
After graduating from TLU and spending a year working in sports marketing, Tommy decided to follow in the footsteps of his father, local attorney Matt Stolhandske, and his grandfather, former Bexar County Commissioner Tom Stolhandske, and attended St. Mary’s University School of Law. After becoming licensed as an attorney, Tommy launched his own practice and shared an office with his father and grandfather.
In 2014, Tommy was elected to serve as the Judge of Bexar County Court at Law No. 11 and took office on January 1, 2015. During his time on the bench, he volunteered to oversee the Adult Drug Court and DWI Treatment Courts. In 2021, Tommy was nominated to serve as the Chair of the Texas Center for the Judiciary Curriculum Committee and remained in that position until leaving the County Court at Law Bench at the end of 2022. For the last year, Tommy has served as a Visiting Judge for the 4th Judicial Administrative Region in both County and District Courts in Bexar, Webb, and Atascosa Counties.
Tommy and his wife Tina are the proud parents of a nine-year-old daughter and a six- year-old son. In his free time, Tommy can be found volunteering with and coaching his children’s volleyball, baseball, and basketball teams. He is a huge sports fan and loves to attend Cubs, Spurs, Avalanche, Longhorn, and FC Barcelona games. Tommy and his family love being outdoors at his grandparents’ ranch in the Hill Country or spending time at the lake.
The court also welcomed a new central staff attorney, Aron Cooper, who primarily manages the court’s original proceedings docket. Bradley “Aron” Cooper is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law and licensed in both Texas and New York. After clerking for the Honorable Jorge A. Solis of the United States District Court, Northern District of Texas, Aron worked in both large and small private firms, primarily in appellate matters in both state and federal court. Aron has practiced predominantly in Dallas and is extremely happy to be back home in Spurs Country as a San Antonio native, having graduated from James Madison High School. In his spare time, Aron enjoys researching and writing about the intersection of theological and legal history, and “binge watching” almost everything.
Following the 88th Regular Session, the Fourth Court benefitted from additional funding that enabled the court to employ a second central staff attorney. The court welcomed Tom Mitchell on September 1, 2023. Tom graduated magna cum laude from Texas A&M University before attending Notre Dame Law School, where he was a Note Editor on the Notre Dame Law Review. After graduating cum laude from Notre Dame, Tom had the pleasure of serving as a Judicial Clerk for the Honorable Hilda G. Tagle, Senior United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas. Licensed in both Florida and Texas, Tom continued his public service, accumulating more than seven years’ experience as a state prosecutor and nearly five years as a staff attorney, including as Chief Central Staff Attorney at the First Court of Appeals. Tom brings with him a wealth of institutional knowledge and enjoys his free time playing PlayStation 5.
