About
Christmas Card Photo 2009
Dan Hinde was appointed Judge of the 269th District Court of Harris County, Texas in November 2008. Judge Hinde grew up in Houston, having moved with his family from Illinois to Harris County when he was eight years old. He graduated summa cum laude from Klein Forest High School, where he was a National Merit Scholar, Drum Major of the marching band, and a member of the swim team. After high school, Judge Hinde studied music education for one year before transferring to Texas A&M University, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He received the Buck Weirus Spirit Award for student leadership his senior year at Texas A&M and graduated magna cum laude.
After college, Judge Hinde attended the University of Texas School of Law. He served as an Articles Editor for the Texas Law Review and received his Doctor of Jurisprudence with Honors in 1997. He then clerked for U.S. District Judge Sim Lake for two years before joining Vinson & Elkins, LLP. More recently, Judge Hinde was Senior Counsel at the trial boutique firm of Steele Sturm, PLLC.
As a lawyer, Judge Hinde represented both plaintiffs and defendants and handled a wide variety of cases, including commercial, construction, corporate-governance, employment, energy, maritime, mass-tort, personal-injury, products-liability, securities-fraud, and technology litigation. Judge Hinde also prosecuted criminal cases and represented indigent defendants challenging their sentences. He tried sixteen cases as first or second chair, including twelve jury trials and argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Judge Hinde is a member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States and has been a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas and the Pro Bono College.
In addition to trying cases, Judge Hinde involved himself in a number of bar and community activities. For several years, he has served on the HBA’s Judicial Polls Committee. Before taking the bench, Judge Hinde represented pro bono the Houston Chapter of the American Red Cross and the Houston Society of the Archaeological Institute of America.
His service to the bar and community continues. Currently, he is the Chair of the Federal Practice Section of the Houston Bar Association, and he also serves as a member of the Court Rules Committee of the State Bar of Texas.
Judge Hinde met his wife, Rosanna, at First Presbyterian Church, which he has attended since returning to Houston from law school. At church, the Hindes are members of the Trinity Sunday School Class, which Judge Hinde teaches from time to time. Rosanna and Judge Hinde are the proud parents of David and Anne.