Judge Ramirez honored after 44 years on the bench

McALLEN — Judge Mario E. Ramirez Jr. stood near the entryway of the McAllen Country Club ballroom here Thursday evening, leaning on a walking cane in front of a large banner that read “Happy Retirement.”

A line of guests formed from the doorway as they awaited their turn to greet Hidalgo County’s longest serving judge.

Many embraced the judge with hugs and enthusiastic pats on the back, sharing a few words for a brief moment before posing for pictures and joining the growing crowd of attorneys, judges and elected officials inside the ballroom.

“It really feels great. It really feels nice,” Ramirez said.

“I’m a pessimist. I didn’t think anybody would show up,” he added with a hearty laugh. “​​we have a nice crowd.”

The crowd was on-hand to celebrate Ramirez’s 44-year career. He will be retiring from the 332nd District Court bench on Dec. 31.

“You know, Judge Ramirez is an iconic judge,” Hidalgo County Judge Richard F. Cortez said. “He’s been on the bench a long time. He has a lot of respect from all the lawyers, all the people in the legal profession. He’s the epitome of what it means to be a judge.”

Cortez described their relationship as a professional one, though he added that they also happen to be neighbors.

“We’re going to miss him,” he said. “I’m here because I wanted to honor him, and I wanted to honor his service to our community. I wish him the very best in the future.”

Ramirez was born in Roma and graduated from Rio Grande City High School in 1968. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame before setting his sights on a career in law. He went on to earn his Doctorate of Jurisprudence from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1974.

Judge Mario E. Ramirez Jr. is seen at his retirement party with fellow Judge Fernando Mancias in McAllen on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2024. (Francisco E. Jimenez | The Monitor)

Since then, he has devoted his career to public service, starting as an assistant municipal court judge for the city of McAllen in 1976, where he began to make a name for himself. In 1980, the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court appointed him to the position of Judge of County Court-at-Law No. 2.

Following a brief tenure on the bench of the 93rd District Court from 1981 to 1982, Ramirez was appointed as the presiding judge to the newly established 332nd District Court, where he would spend the rest of his career and continue to serve as the overseer of the juvenile probation department.

State District Judge Fernando Mancias described Ramirez as a mentor to himself and the entire judicial community. He described Ramirez as someone who was fair and patient with every person who worked with him.

“He was always very kind to the lawyers and very kind to the jurors,” Mancias said. “He really has the heart of a servant. He’s a very, very good man.”

The judge recalled the early part of his career when he’d begun his career in criminal defense. He remembered Ramirez offering advice to him about how to be a better lawyer.

Mancias was one of the many guests who shared a quick moment with Ramirez, embracing him with a hug and sharing a few words.

“I told him thank you so much for all these years of public service, but most of all, thank you for just sacrificing,” Mancias said. “He could have had a great legal career as a trial lawyer, but he chose to be a judge and help people out.”

State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, participated in the celebration with some remarks about Ramirez and presented the judge with a gavel.

“He comes across as being someone that is fair, and in reality, when somebody is misbehaving and not following the rules, he just gives them a very stern look — he doesn’t even use the gavel,” Hinojosa said.

“He really has a heart of butter, corazón de mantequilla, because he really cares about people,” he continued. “He really cares about the families that appear in his court, but also very important, he focused a lot on juveniles, trying to keep them out of crime and give them direction and mentor them so they can become successful citizens.”

Ramirez stood for over an hour, continuously shaking hands and taking pictures with little to no lulls in between guests. Yet, he stood poised with a constant smile on his face for every person who approached him.

“It’s bittersweet, actually, to tell you the truth,” Ramirez said. “I know it’s time to retire because it is time to retire. I’m tired, but I still enjoy doing what I’m doing. I still enjoy dealing with lawyers every day. I still enjoy hearing cases every day, and I still enjoy the challenge of it. Retirement is a big step towards just easing off, I guess, easing off the throttle.”

Looking back on his career, the judge said that he is most proud of the work he did with juveniles and the programs that he helped implement on their behalf. He said that while he is ready to step away from the bench, he is already looking to work as a visiting judge while taking some much needed time off.

“I have enjoyed serving the people of Hidalgo County,” Ramirez said. “I feel they put their trust in me the last 44, 45 years, and that I hope I’ve done a good job for them.”

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