Shaping the Life and Career of Judge Ron Rangel

Service, Family, Love

By Bobby Barrera and June Moynihan

Ron Rangel was elected to the 379th District Court in 2008 and has served continuously since, including two cycles as Bexar County Local Administrative Judge and two cycles as the Criminal District Court Administrative Judge. The administrative judge terms lasted two years each. While serving a term as an Administrative Judge is never an easy job, Judge Rangel’s most recent turn was even more challenging than normal. Judge Rangel was in his second term as Local Administrative Judge when the effects of the pandemic reached the courts in March 2020. Bexar County judges worked together to determine appropriate safety protocols and technologies to keep the courts open.

As pandemic policies became politicized, Judge Rangel had the additional challenge of navigating the various levels of elected officials offering up conflicting policies for compliance. Judge Rangel remembers with gratitude how he and his fellow judges were able to get, and keep, the courts open with minimal disruption. “By statute, the courtrooms belong to the elected judges,” he said. “And thankfully, in Bexar County, the judges could generally reach a consensus of what we would require in our courtrooms, so Bexar County could provide a cohesive policy for court procedure, court visitors, and court business.”

The Local Administrative Judge has additional duties that include serving on strategic and planning committees, and the pandemic pulled Judge Rangel into even more committee work and briefings from public health, technology, and legislative work groups. Through the onslaught, Rangel became well versed in time management, patience, and balancing the various and changing demands of parties, victims, attorneys, judges, court staff, and more.

Judge Ron Rangel. Cover and article photography by Mewborne Photography.

One would think that the additional work from the pandemic would cause delays on other standing work or projects. But no. Because the Local Administrative Judge continues to maintain his or her respective courtroom duties, Judge Rangel has continued to sit as the judge of the 379th Criminal District Court. Since early 2020, in addition to handling his pandemic surge of Administrative Judge duties, he has conducted two murder trials and one capital murder trial. With the pandemic severely restricting the ability to do jury trials, Judge Rangel embraced the opportunities. “We had a small window to conduct in-person jury trials,” he explained, “so we had to focus on the more serious cases. The death penalty trial resulted in a death sentence and was the first fully live-streamed jury trial in Bexar County. This allowed the public the opportunity to gain a better understanding of jury trial procedures, which I believe is important to provide the public confidence in the system.”

Administering Justice: Literally Remaking “the Wheel” for the Poor

In addition to his other duties, Judge Rangel also spearheaded the efforts to professionalize the Bexar County Indigent Defense Program, colloquially called “the wheel.” Statewide statistics reveal that indigent defendants do not receive either the same quality of representation or as beneficial resolutions of their cases as do defendants who have the resources to hire their own attorneys. The Bexar County Managed Assigned Counsel (MAC) Program that Judge Rangel installed was the first major overhaul of the process. It not only remade the court-appointment system for attorney representation and payment, but also reassigned multiple duties, once entirely on the judges, to an independent program director. In recognition of his ingenuity and dedication to this cause, in 2021 Judge Rangel won a five-year grant from the Texas Indigent Defense Commission and secured County funding to provide both effective legal representation and the resources necessary for the investigation and preservation of indigent rights in criminal cases. The MAC Program opened in January 2022.

Ana Amici, Bexar County Criminal District Court General Administrative Counsel, worked closely with Judge Rangel on the MAC implementation and funding project and found him well suited for a job with more than a few obstacles. “Judge Rangel is thoughtful and decisive in his administration of ideas and resolution of conflicts, which is always complicated at the county government level,” she said. “He is patient, and most importantly, when he interacts with the various county colleagues and elected officials, he knows when to listen and when to talk. Judge Rangel truly cares about people and justice, and that shows in his commitment to doing right for the community he serves.”

High school football game with parents, Frances and Adam.

Newlyweds Ron and Patsy.

Patsy and Ron with daughters, Alysha and Maddie.

Ron’s graduation.

Alysha, Patsy, and Ron.

Embodying Justice: Gentleness and Care Toward All

Trial attorneys customarily evaluate a judge not only by the judge’s experience and knowledge of the law, but by his or her temperament while on the bench. Judicial polls nearly always include a question related to the judge’s “temperament or demeanor.” The term “judicial temperament” certainly includes impartiality and fairness, but more importantly describes the conduct that a judge exhibits in relation to courtroom participants. How a judge treats those over whom he or she presides—the attorneys, parties, witnesses, and especially the judge’s staff—is the real measure of the judge’s character and personality.

Judge Rangel’s good nature is the same on the bench as it is in his daily life, and people respond positively. “He is the closest thing to a rock star when he walks down the court halls!” Amici related. “Everyone wants to say hello and he greets everyone by name, followed by a genuine, ‘How are you?’” In the last Judicial Poll conducted by the San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association, out of the forty-three civil and criminal judges in Bexar County who were in the poll, Judge Rangel was Number One in the category of “Temperament.” Judge Rangel’s friend and law school classmate, Dean Diachin, Assistant Public Defender with the Appellate Division, summed those results up well: “Ron has been blessed with a supernaturally calm demeanor. The man is always on an emotionally even keel. Always. Thus, he has the perfect temperament for the job!”

That demeanor has been shaped by myriad meaningful experiences, both in his personal life and in his professional experience. Judge Rangel credits the upbringing by his parents, Adam and Frances Rangel, as the key to his understanding of how important it is to treat people with respect and dignity. In addition, his parents were instrumental in forming his attitudes toward family, work, education, and most pertinently for his role as judge, his commitment and service to others in his community.

Shaped by Family Trials: Travels, Work, and Faith

Adam and Frances were both from humble beginnings. Adam Rangel pursued certified clerical and accounting training, but employment options were limited in South Texas. In 1966, as newlyweds, they packed their ‘62 Chevy with their worldly possessions and left Portland, Texas, for Oakland, California, seeking work. Ninety minutes into their journey out of Texas, their car broke down, but the couple resolved to use most of their gas money for the car repair and to keep going. As they traveled toward California, they bartered and sold belongings to buy food and gas and arrived in Oakland with twenty-five cents to spare.

The Rangels lived with extended family while Adam worked at the Hunt’s Ketchup Factory during the week and as an amateur boxer on weekends for extra cash. The boxing matches paid $10 for the loser and $20 for the winner. Adam was proud of his frugality and remembers the time with a smile. “The boxers also got a bowl of chili after the match, so I got paid and had my dinner covered no matter what happened!” Soon after their arrival in Oakland, Adam was hired at the United States Post Office, and he and Frances moved into their own studio apartment. Baby Ron was born in 1968. Longing for their Texas family, Adam put in for a United States Post Office transfer, and they moved back to Portland, Texas. Three years later, Ron’s brother Roland was born, and four years after that, Ron’s youngest brother, Randy, followed.

Adam and Frances were also lay missionaries for the Catholic diocese. Their service to their faith and community were, and continue to be, intertwined. Their life has always been in service to others. Beyond compelling them to serve, their strong faith would serve the Rangel family well through a very difficult family crisis and its accompanying challenges. When Ron was in junior high school, his father suffered a catastrophic stroke. He was rushed to the Corpus Christi Hospital, and when he came out of surgery, Adam was paralyzed from the neck down and on a ventilator for breathing. His wife, Frances. traveled to the hospital daily, and Ron quickly became the “man of the house” and kept his brothers on track with school and sports. A month later, Adam was transferred to a facility to undergo extensive rehabilitation, and he slowly learned again how to walk and maintain his daily living activities. After two years, Adam was released to return to work. From that point on, Adam said faith and ministry became a constant part of his work and motivation. “I put my faith in God, and I trusted that whatever the situation—paralyzed or fully recovered—God was with me.”

Family of His Own: Studies, Surprise, and Love Shaped a Man.

In school and at home, Ron was a voracious reader, most often choosing biography and history. He was inspired by the subjects and has distinct memories of being moved by the biographies of Abraham Lincoln and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He was touched especially by leaders who he felt were doing their calling in their work. At times, he considered a life in the priesthood or work as a history teacher or professor. His family describes him as a quiet leader—not necessarily shy, but certainly not seeking attention.

Ron was not just studious and servant-hearted, though. As Larry Moreno—a San Antonio attorney and childhood friend—recalls, “Ron is a totally funny guy! He was a cut up and made everyone laugh.” In his freshman year, Ron caught his new high school football coaches off guard when they distributed report cards in a team meeting. Moreno explained, “All the players had been friends since middle school, so we all knew Ron was smart.” But the high school coaches saw Ron as a bit of a class clown with all his wisecracks. As the coach was going down the list distributing report cards, he did a double take when he handed Ron his report card and noted to the team that Ron was at the “top of the class.” More than being liked, Ron was a scholar athlete and a respected leader among the players. “Even then, he always found a way to make people feel comfortable and that included using his sense of humor,” Moreno said. “He never teased at anyone’s expense. He naturally wants to bring people together. It is one of his most endearing traits.”

Ron was the student that everyone knew was going to succeed. He graduated at the top of his high school class and earned a scholarship to The University of Texas at Austin. Then Ron’s life changed in an instant. Before he was to leave for school, he found himself a father of his first child, a daughter. He chose to forego college for the time being and took on the responsibilities of supporting his child and her mother. While their relationship was short-lived, Ron stuck around. He moved into Section 8 housing and shared custody of his daughter. He worked days at HEB and evenings at a convenience store to provide for his new family.

As he settled into parenting, he was able to start junior college in Corpus Christi and eventually graduated from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio with a degree in history. After he graduated, Ron took a job with Child Protective Services in Aransas Pass, where he witnessed firsthand the impact of poverty upon the indigent families he helped with services. While working at Child Protective Services and helping to raise his daughter, Ron worked on a Master’s degree in history at Texas A&M Kingsville.

During this time, he met Patsy—a young, vibrant teacher—at a party in Corpus Christi. He had had a long work week and recalls that his friends had to coax him to go out for the evening. He started talking to this “pretty girl,” as he recalls. “She was this smart, insightful woman, so full of life. Suddenly, it was morning, and we were still talking!” Ron and Patsy subsequently married and together had two daughters, Alysha and Maddie.

Patsy and Ron.

Justice in Action: Good Help, Close Family, and Faithful Service Shaped a Lawyer

Near the end of his time at A&M Kingsville, Ron’s father and a graduate advisor encouraged him to go to law school, and in 1993 he started at St. Mary’s University School of Law. After graduation, Ron took a job with the Hidalgo County District Attorney, where he quickly moved up the ranks to become a felony prosecutor and gained valuable trial experience. In the late 1990s, the family moved back to San Antonio, where Ron started a private practice.

In 2000, Ron was at another lawyer’s office when he met legal secretary Tricia Austin. “Tricia was sharp and had great people skills,” he recalls. “I needed an assistant, so I asked her to come work for me!” Austin laughed when describing her first day at Ron’s office, “The office was a bit more of a frat house than a law practice—stacks of paper surrounded the room along the wall. Much to my surprise, that was the filing system!” Austin quickly got the office in order and has been working for him ever since, first as his legal secretary and now as his court coordinator. Austin confirmed that Ron’s clients really felt that he listened to their issues and problems. “I would get confused because people would call and claim to be a friend or family member,” she said. “I quickly learned that they all said that, because that is the way he made them feel. To this day, we still get calls at the courthouse from former clients claiming to be cousins.”

Soon after Ron and Patsy moved to San Antonio, Ron’s parents and brothers also relocated here from Portland. In an extension of their ministry work, Adam and Roland started Rangel Bail Bonds. “I pray with our clients and for all our clients,” Adam said of their work. “We are with people at their lowest moment, and we try to do our best to help restore some hope in their lives and pray for them to turn their lives around.” Roland added, “I know from experience how hard it is when a parent is unable to contribute. We hate to see the children suffer.”

Ron had been in private practice for ten years when he decided to run for judge. In his practice and through Adam and Roland’s work, Ron had observed with alarm that the most vulnerable members of the community were being what he called “warehoused” in prisons. “At the time,” he said, “80% of those arrested were indigent; recidivism numbers were unmanaged; and those with addiction were going to prison instead of treatment programs. I felt I could be more useful to the community on the bench.”

Justice Served: Campaigns, Rulings, Loss, and Love Shaped a Judge.

Judge Rangel’s daughter, Alysha, recalls campaigning with her family as part of their shared life. “It just became normal pretty quickly,” she said. “I learned to talk to strangers, and we knew that—if it was election time—we were going to attend lots of events.”

Roland loves campaigning for his brother. “It is easy to tell the truth, and I think people can sense when you are sharing the truth,” he said. “The truth is my brother has excellent character. He is committed to the job as a judge. He dispenses justice fairly but recognizes that people can be redeemed and, with the right help, can become productive members of the community.”

Judge Rangel feels like he is in the right role. Reflecting on the personal reward of his service on the bench, he said, “It is meaningful and humbling when otherwise total strangers approach me and remind me they were in my court (as a defendant, victim, or witness), and they thank me. It means my efforts worked to let them know that they are a part of our human society, and that people do care about them.”

More than admiring Judge Rangel’s temperament, Dean Diachin has seen his heart for all to have justice come through on the bench. “I’ve often heard Ron comment that criminals and victims, alike, usually come from the same underprivileged segment of society,” Diachin said. “I believe he ran for the bench not because he wanted to be someone important, but because he wanted to do something important . . . for that segment of society.”

Judge Rangel can sometimes agonize over decisions because he wants to ensure that he does what is right. His Court Coordinator Tricia Austin has seen it firsthand. “He sees the good in people, but he has had to accept that he can’t save them all,” she said. “So, he takes the time to make sure they understand the reasons for his rulings and, above all else, that they feel like they were heard. It’s amazing how many defendants actually end up thanking him, even after being sentenced to prison.”

In 2018, Judge Rangel’s beloved wife, Patsy, passed away from cancer. Their youngest daughter Maddie had just graduated from high school. Ana Amici recalls that the memorial service was filled with family and friends, but also with many people who only knew Ron professionally but wanted to show their support. “Ron gave a eulogy that only a man who is truly at peace with his life could have given,” Amici said. “His words reflected a love and relationship with Patsy which few people are ever blessed enough to know or experience. I heard several people say how they wished that they had that much love in their lives, to be remembered the way he spoke about Patsy.”

Alysha, Maddie, and Ron Rangel.

Maddie, Ron, and Alysha feeding the ducks at Woodlawn Lake Park.

His daughter Alysha remembers her mom’s death as bringing the family closer together. “Of course, it changed us all,” she said. “Losing my mom has made my dad, and all of us, more attentive when we spend time together.” As to how it affected her dad, she added,

We each have our moments when it hits us, but we are there for one another, and my dad carries himself with such strength and grace. He’s always been compassionate, but even that has expanded in him. My dad lost his partner of twenty-five years, something I can’t fathom. But our family is healing and has stayed strong. And I know not every family can pull together when they lose such a vital piece of the family. I know I am lucky to have him as my dad.

Truly said, and the citizens of Bexar County, rich and poor, are lucky to have as judge such a man who epitomizes the true meaning of “public servant.” Judge Rangel recalls from his studies that many philosophers believe that how a city or state treats the most vulnerable, which includes those in our criminal justice system, is a reflection of our society. As he explains:

Every case is unique. Every case is about real people dealing with real issues that have influenced their lives and their loved ones. How we treat them is a reflection of who we are as a society and what we value. We should strive to show compassion to the vulnerable and help them as much as we are able. It does not mean we ignore accountability or punishments. But we can demand a system that delivers accessible and fair justice and treats every party with dignity, compassion, and a path to rehabilitation where applicable.

Ana Amici says it well for those he has served from his seat on the bench and from off of it. “Judge Rangel is a man of unending sharing and courage in the pursuit of justice. It is an honor to work with him.”

SERVING WITH FAMILY

Back to School with Brand New Shoes

By Bobby Barrera and June Moynihan

Randy, Adam, Roland, and Ron Rangel.

Judge Rangel’s father, Adam Rangel, was the eldest of six children, and he has vivid memories of going to school without any shoes. The Rangel family values education, and he remembers the embarrassment of walking into school wearing old, hand-me-down shoes or no shoes at all. “I never want a child to feel that shame,” Adam said. “Kids should be excited to go to school and learn!”

With the help of his sons, he launched the Adam Rangel Back to School Shoe Program in 1999. Since the program’s founding, the family has donated thousands of pairs of brand-new shoes to needy kids. “It is a labor of love,” Roland Rangel said. “We do not have fundraisers or ask for community donations. I am in charge of collecting shoes throughout the year, and when it is back-toschool time, we host a few events and let the kids shop and choose their own shoes.” Students in need are identified through the Rangels’ network of church leaders and school counselors. Students are invited to come to an event and given ample time to try on and shop for their new shoes. The extensive Rangel family and many of Judge Rangel’s bench colleagues volunteer at these shopping days to help students find their perfect pair.

Roland and his family members buy shoes throughout the year, keep an eye out for deals on popular brands, and make sure to stock up on common sizes. “We want to give the kids a nice pair of quality shoes that they will be proud to wear,” Roland said.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program was suspended for 2020 and 2021, but it will be back in full swing starting in the summer of 2022. Judge Rangel is very happy to be getting back to it. “Helping those in need feel better about their lives [and] hope for a better future makes me happy,” he said. “It is that simple.”

Bobby Barrera is the owner of the Law Office of Bobby Barrera, PC and a former President of the San Antonio Bar Association.

June Moynihan is the Executive Director of the San Antonio Bar Association.