Rodriguez served in the
United States Army Reserve as an officer from 1983 to 1993 after receiving his commission from the ROTC program at
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Rodriguez is a regular speaker on continuing legal education seminars and has authored numerous articles regarding employment law, discovery and arbitration issues. He is past chair of the
State Bar of Texas Labor and Employment Council and chair of the State Bar Paralegal Committee. Prior to assuming the bench, he was a partner in the international law firm of
Fulbright & Jaworski. Rodriguez then served on the
Supreme Court of Texas until he was defeated in his re-election run. Rodriguez then returned to private practice briefly before being appointed to the
United States District Court for the Western District of Texas in San Antonio by President
George W. Bush.
Federal judicial service On May 1, 2003, President
George W. Bush nominated Rodriguez to the
United States District Court for the Western District of Texas to a seat vacated by Judge
Edward C. Prado, who was elevated to the
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on May 13, 2003. He was confirmed by the
United States Senate on July 31, 2003 and received his commission on August 1, 2003. Rodriguez had been considered a candidate for a vacancy on the
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, along with District Judge
Marina Marmolejo. ==See also==