Judge Joel Baker, a native of Tyler, is a graduate of Robert E. Lee High School, Tyler Junior College, Texas A&M, and South Texas College of Law. He has practiced law as an assistant district attorney and in private practice.  He is a member in good standing of the Texas Board of Legal Specialization with a specialization in Juvenile Law.  Judge Baker was first elected County Judge in November 2006 and began his first term of office January 2007.  He was re-elected in 2010 to a new, four-year term that ends December 31, 2014.

In 2009, Judge Baker was appointed by the Texas Supreme Court to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct and reappointed for a second term in 2012. In 2010, he was appointed to the Texas Health and Human Services Guardianship Advisory Board. He is also a member of the Texas Association of Counties Judicial Curriculum Committee and Core Legislative Group. 

Judge Baker contributes to the community through his involvement with several organizations. He is a charter member of the Tyler Junior College Public Administration Advisory Board. In addition, he is a member of several local boards and committees, including the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization Policy Committee, Chief Elected Officials Board/Rural Planning Organization and the Board of Directors of the East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG), Smith County Tax Abatement Committee, Smith County Revolving Loan Fund Board of Directors, Tyler Junior College Legal Assistants Advisory Committee, City of Tyler Reinvestment Zone Committee, the City of Lindale Tax Increment Financing Board, and Tyler Pipe Company’s Community Advisory Panel. In addition, he is on the Board of Directors of the Tyler Economic Development Council (TEDC), the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, and sits on the Chief Elected Officials’ Board for Workforce Solutions East Texas.

Judge Baker and his wife, Melanie, reside in Tyler and are the proud parents of three children.  The Bakers are active members of Marvin United Methodist Church in Tyler, where he serves on several church committees.  Judge Baker enjoys reading, hunting, camping, do-it-yourself projects, and is an avid history buff. In addition, he is totally fascinated by new advances in technology and is self-educated on any new gizmo that is introduced.

For more information on the duties of the County Judge, please click this link:

http://www.texascounties4u.org/desc/judge.html