Experience Makes a Difference

The Honorable Tyra Jones McCollum is proud to call Fort Bend County her home. She grew up in Missouri City, Texas, where she attended E.A. Jones Elementary and Missouri City Jr. High. She is a proud graduate of Willowridge High School, where she is recognized as an Inaugural Inductee on the Willowridge Wall of Honor. Judge McCollum is a first-generation college graduate who earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from the University of Texas and her Juris Doctor (JD) from the University of Houston Law Center. After graduation, Judge McCollum immediately began her work in public service as an Assistant City Attorney in Tyler, Texas, writing advisory opinions for the City Council and working in the Municipal Court. While in Tyler she was an active member in the community serving on the Board of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. 

Judge McCollum was elected as the Presiding Judge of Fort Bend County Court at Law #2 in November 2022 to preside over criminal, juvenile, civil, probate, mental health commitments, and eminent domain proceedings. Her courtroom efficiency has resulted in over a 100% clearance rate of her caseload. She is especially proud to serve as the Presiding Judge for Fort Bend County’s Veterans Treatment Court where she has more than tripled the number of participants in the Court by developing community partnerships and creating outreach opportunities for Veterans who face legal entanglements in the criminal justice system. In November 2023, the Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals jointly appointed Judge McCollum to the statewide Judicial Commission on Mental Health. Additionally, during her first year of judicial service, she was selected to participate in The Sentencing Foundation, an elite national collaboration of judges committed to innovative criminal justice reform. Before taking the bench, Tyra McCollum was an Assistant District Attorney and Chief of the Juvenile Division in the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office for 25 years. She has handled thousands of criminal and juvenile cases and tried over 150 contested cases throughout her career. However, no passion has been greater for her than her work to rehabilitate juveniles and young adults. Judge McCollum enjoys teaching as an Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy at the University of Houston Law Center and formerly taught as an Adjunct Professor at Houston Christian University (HCU). She has presented at local and state conferences, and regularly teaches on topics regarding juvenile law and the criminal justice system within the community.

 Judge McCollum has long been rooted in social, civic, and community service. She currently serves on the Community Advisory Board for Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital and on the Board of Directors for the Exchange Club of Fort Bend. She also serves on the Executive Committee for the Katy-Richmond Area Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, as an Associate member of the philanthropic organization Jack and Jill of America, Inc. and on the Social Action Committee for the Suburban Houston Fort Bend Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Judge McCollum has been married to her high school sweetheart for 29 years and together they enjoy parenting their three young adult sons and beagle Wrigley. Judge McCollum is proud to put her education, background, and experience to work in the community where she was raised.  She provides a courtroom environment that is centered on accountability and rehabilitation, meaningful engagement, and is authentically built on preserving the integrity of the judicial system. It is her privilege to be entrusted by the community with the responsibilities of her Court.