Gov. Greg Abbott appoints Bill Hicks to replace Yvonne Rosales as El Paso DA
Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Bill D. Hicks as the district attorney of the 34th Judicial District in El Paso, Culberson and Hudspeth counties,
He replaces Yvonne Rosales, who resigned earlier this month as El Paso district attorney after a controversial tenure that included the dismissal of hundreds of cases and a move to have her removed from office due to alleged misconduct and incompetence. Her resignation was effective at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
In her resignation letter to Abbott, Rosales said that effective immediately her first assistant, Salah George Al-Hanna, would assume all duties and responsibilities as acting district attorney.
More: Gov. Greg Abbott accepts resignation of El Paso District Attorney Yvonne Rosales
With Abbott's announcement Wednesday, he replaced her quickly.
Hicks' appointment was effective at 5 p.m. Wednesday for a term set to expire Dec. 31, 2024, or until his successor is duly elected and qualified, a news announcement from the governor’s office said.
“With over two decades of legal experience and a strong track record of public service, Bill Hicks is the ideal candidate to serve as District Attorney for Texans in El Paso, Culberson, and Hudspeth Counties,” Abbott said in the news release. “The 34th Judicial District Attorney’s Office will be in good hands under Bill Hicks as he takes the office in the right direction, and I have no doubt that he will restore confidence in the office as he serves honorably and faithfully in this new role.”
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In the news release, state Sen. César Blanco, D-El Paso, said: "I appreciate Governor Abbott's timely appointment of Judge Bill D. Hicks as the District Attorney for the 34th Judicial District.
"I have had conversations will Judge Hicks and with his more than 22 years of legal experience as a Judge, Assistant District Attorney, and Criminal and Injury Defense Attorney, I am confident he will bring order, competence, and trust back into the District Attorney's Office while being a steward of office for the people of El Paso, Culberson, and Hudspeth County. Therefore, I concur with this appointment."
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Hicks, a Republican, is an El Paso attorney and owner of The Law Offices of Bill D. Hicks P.C.
Before his work in general practice law, he served as judge of the 243rd Judicial District Court in El Paso County and as an assistant district attorney for the 34th Judicial District for over 12 years.
He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, including its Family Law, Criminal Justice and Litigation sections, the Federal Western District of Texas, the College of the State Bar of Texas, and the West Texas Detention Facility Corp., the governor's news release said.
He also has deep connections with the El Paso community.
According to the news release, Hicks is a member and former board member of the El Paso Bar Association, a former commissioner of the El Paso County Ethics Commission and the city of El Paso’s Ethics Review Commission, and a former special commissioner of the El Paso Condemnation Commission.
He also is a member of the El Paso Make-A-Wish Regional Advisory Board and the Child Crisis Center of El Paso Board of Directors.
He is also a member and former president of the Rotary Club of El Paso.
Hicks received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from Texas A&M University and a Juris Doctor degree from Texas Tech University School of Law.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Gov. Abbott appoints Bill Hicks to replace Yvonne Rosales as El Paso DA
