Chief Justice David Wellington Chew was born in El Paso, Texas on September 29, 1947, the son of Wellington Yee Chew, a prominent attorney and civic leader, and Patricia M. Chew, an elementary school teacher and principal. He attended Irvin High School and the University of Texas at El Paso before accepting a congressional appointment to the United States Naval Academy. He graduated from the Academy with a Bachelor of Science in 1971 and was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy. His first assignment was on the U.S.S. Claud Jones (DE-1033) as Communications Officer and later as Operations Officer. In 1975, then Lieutenant Chew was assigned as the Flag Lieutenant/Personal Aide to Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group Twelve, homeported in Mayport, Florida. He attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander. During his service he was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal (2 Stars), Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
Chief Justice Chew was graduated from the Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1978 and entered into the private practice of law in El Paso immediately afterwards forming a partnership with Paul M. Douglass, who practiced with Justice Chew's father, and later joined by his sister Linda Yee Chew, and succeeded by another sister, Patricia B. Chew. He was board certified in Immigration and Nationality Law in 1985 and listed in the 1994/95 and 1995/96 The Best Lawyers in America. He was elected to and served one term as the West-Central City Representative to the El Paso City Council from 1989 to 1991. In 1994 General Election, he was elected to the Eighth District Court of Appeals and sworn in on January 1, 1995. In April 1999, he served on the Texas Supreme Court on two cases on the commission of then Governor Gegorge W. Bush. In 2002, the Asian Pacific Section of the State Bar of Texas established the Justice David Wellington Chew Award which is presented annually to the section's outstanding attorney.
Chief Justice Chew is married to Mandy Chew and they have one son, Wellington Montgomery.
Significant Opinions:
- Sherri Henderson v. The State of Texas, 906 S.W.2d 589 (Tex.App.—El Paso 1995, pet. ref'd).
- General Dynamics, Material Service Corp., and El Paso Sand, Inc. v. Louis Torres, 915 S.W.2d 45 (Tex.App.—El Paso 1995, writ denied).
- Pride Petroleum Services, Inc. v. Jerry Criswell, 924 S.W.2d 720 (Tex.App.—El Paso 1996, writ denied).
- Jose Parra v. Larchmont Farms, Inc., 932 S.W.2d 68 (Tex.App.—El Paso 1995), reversed by, 941 S.W.2d 93 (Tex. 1997).
- Noyola v. State, 25 S.W.3d 181 (Tex.App.—El Paso1999, no pet.).
- City of El Paso v. Higginbotham, 993 S.W.2d 819 (Tex.App.—El Paso 1999, no pet.).
- Bustamante v. State, 109 S.W.3d 1 (Tex.App.—El Paso 2002, no pet.).
- In re Estate Swanson, 130 S.W.3d 144 (Tex.App.—El Paso 2003, no pet.).
- Erivas v. State Farm Automobile Ins. Co., 141 S.W.3d 671 (Tex.App.—El Paso 2004, no pet.).
- Torres v. State, 141 S.W.3d 645 (Tex.App.—El Paso 2004, pet. ref'd).
Staff:
- Staff Attorney
- Kim Anderson
- Law Clerk
- Jacquie Shi
- Chief Legal Assistant
- Sylvia Darnold
- Legal Assistant
- Gloria Gravalos
Updated: 28-Dec-2009
