Hon. Angela Graves-Harrington
Judge, 246th District Court; Harris County
Judge Angela Graves-Harrington is the Administrative Judge of the Harris County Board of Family District Judges. She presides over the Harris County 246th District Court and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges Implementation Pilot Court. In addition to her judicial duties, Judge Graves-Harrington has been instrumental in creating a Child Welfare Clinic at Thurgood Marshall School of Law, where she also serves as an adjunct professor. Judge Graves-Harrington is Board Certified® in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is a 15-year member of the Texas Bar College. She also holds an Executive Judicial Leadership Certification from Harvard Law School Executive Education.
Judge Graves-Harrington encourages the application of trauma-informed practices and policies in the Harris County child welfare system. She aims to ensure every parent receives the support they need to navigate the system and is focused on achieving positive permanency for every child in every case. In recognition of her efforts to improve the child welfare system, Judge Graves-Harrington was chosen by the Supreme Court of Texas Children's Commission to preside over one of only four trauma-informed project courts in Texas.
Judge Graves-Harrington is active in both her local and state bars through service on various committees. In 2020, the Supreme Court of Texas Children's Commission appointed Judge Graves-Harrington to serve on the Training and Standards of Representation Committees. She was also appointed as chair of the Child Welfare and Juvenile Advisory Committee of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, where she also serves on the Membership and Legislative Committees. Additionally, Judge Graves-Harrington serves as a Houston Area Local Advisory Group member for the Texas Permanency Outcomes Project (T.X.P.O.P.) and an advisory member of Safe Babies, a First 3 Years® initiative. Judge Graves-Harrington was appointed co-chair of the Houston Bar Association Family/Probate Bench Bar committee, where she organized the first family/probate bench bar conference in 19 years. When not in court or the classroom, Judge Graves-Harrington shares her knowledge with the legal and child welfare community through speaking engagements and seminars. Judge Graves-Harrington has received several awards, including the Texas CASA Judicial Innovation and Leadership Award, the Houston Bar Association President's Award, the Family Time Woman of Achievement Award, and the Thurgood Marshall School of Law Distinguished Alum Award. She has also served as the course director for the State Bar of Texas 2024 Advanced Child Protection Law Conference and the State Bar of Texas 2024 Advanced Family Law Conference – Child Abuse and Neglect Track.
In 2020, Judge Graves-Harrington took a significant step in her commitment to the community by co-founding P.E.A.R.L.S., a mentorship program for teenagers in the foster care system. This initiative, which reflects her dedication to supporting and guiding those in need, is a testament to her role as a mentor and advocate. Furthermore, in 2024, she was appointed to the Board of Directors for Friends of the Children - Houston, a national organization that pairs youth with mentors from age 4 through high school graduation.
Judge Graves-Harrington's commitment to the community is further demonstrated through her involvement in professional legal organizations and community service groups. In addition to her service through these organizations, she has been a dedicated member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®, and Jack and Jill, Incorporated®, Greater Channel Chapter for twenty-two years. Her involvement in these organizations underscores her long-standing commitment to community service and her belief in the power of mentorship and support.
Judge Graves-Harrington is a native of Gulfport (Turkey Creek), Mississippi, and a proud alumna of Mississippi State University, Jackson State University, and Thurgood Marshall School of Law. She and her husband, Darryl, live in Houston with their two handsome sons, Daylen and Aiden, and their rambunctious Goldendoodle, Teddy.