Pub Theology w/ Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez
Pub Theology is a weekly forum that talks about faith, our community, and creating the common good. Hosted by Pastor Gavin Rogers.
About our guest:
Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez was born in Brownsville, Texas to a mother and father who instilled in her a love for both her culture and country. Her mother, Alicia Gonzalez, who recently passed away taught Rosie the importance of service to her community and the value of people in her life. After her father took ill, Rosie left her job as a Probation Officer in Austin, Texas to pursue her law degree at St. Mary’s University. Her mother requested that she pursue her education so they could access healthcare and resources for her father. (He died during her second year of law school.)Rosie graduated from St. Mary’s University with her law degree in 2001.
She practiced law for 16 years, becoming the only lawyer in South Texas to be certified as a Child Welfare Specialist by the National Association of Counsel for Children in her law career, she represented hundreds of children who reside in foster care or the CPS system. She mentored several new attorneys, who went on to develop successful law careers.Rosie had a solo practice, where she committed to hard work and service to her clients. Rosie loves the law. During this time, she also serves as one of Commissioner Kevin Wolff’s appointee to the Bexar County Small, Minority and Women Business Enterprise (SMWBE) Advisory Committee where she made significant contributions to ensuring that LGBT firms are now included in the county’s contracting policies and procedures.
Rosie took the bench this year as the presiding judge of Bexar County Court at Law No. 13. Her top three initiatives are as follows: 1) to create a drug court/ domestic violence specialty program that addresses the core issues that bring offenders into the courtroom; 2) to create a live feed into the courtroom which would allow victims to view the hearing without having to be physically present; and 3) to collaborate with UTSA’s Counseling Department to set up a therapeutic support for the victims of domestic violence. Rosie recognizes the lack of resources in the community of San Antonio for our most vulnerable citizens.Further, she is aware that the most dangerous places in our city can exist in the home. She has dedicated her time on the bench to addressing the needs for an ever-increasing problem in our city.
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