James M. Stanton

James M. Stanton

As a former judge, James Stanton knows how to persuade judges and juries to find for his clients. As the founder of a law firm, he also knows that you want to focus on running your business, not your lawsuit, which is why choosing a trusted advocate to speak for you in court matters. 

Over the course of his career as an attorney and judge, James has handled over 60 jury trials, 40 bench trials, and thousands of hearings—which is why clients turn to him when they need solutions to difficult problems. 

Before founding Stanton LLP, James served as presiding judge of the 134th Judicial District Court in Dallas County, Texas, and practiced in the trial departments at Andrews Kurth LLP and Cozen O’Connor PC. He is board certified in Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

James is an active member at The Grove Church where he sits on the Advisory Board and teaches the sixth grade Confirmation class. He also serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees for Uplift Education, and his four children - Alexandra, Luke, Eric and Caroline – attend an Uplift School.

In the News

  • What Judges Want: A Former Judge’s Guide to Success in Court, (Foreword by former Texas Supreme Court Justice Scott A. Brister) Texas Lawyer Books (August 30, 2012)
  • The Jury Rules, (Co-Authored by Trey Cox, Foreword by United States District Judge W. Royal Furgeson, Jr.) (August 5, 2012)
  • How to Prevail at a Summary Judgment Hearing,” Texas Lawyer (May 21, 2012)
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Recognition

  • Chambers USA, Texas: Litigation (2021, 2022)
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Commercial Litigation (2021, 2022, 2023)
  • Texas Super Lawyers (2020, 2021, 2022)
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Appointments

  • Appointed by United States District Judge Ed Kinkeade in In re: DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. Pinnacle Hip Implant Products Liability Litigation pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 53 to serve as court-appointed special master.
  • Appointed by Texas State District Judge Scott J. Becker in Sandy Golgart v. Phillip M. Pourchot, et al., pursuant to Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 171 to serve as court-appointed special master.
  • Appointed by Texas State District Judge Jill R. Willis in INX, LLC v. Lumenate, LLC et al. pursuant to Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 171 to serve as court-appointed special master.
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Presentations

  • “Discovery on Steroids: ESI, Privilege, Preservation, and Litigation Holds” presented at the 13th Annual Complex Litigation Symposium sponsored by the Louisiana State Bar Association with United States Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan, Richard Bernardo, Jennifer M. Hoekstra, and Lawrence L. Jones, II (New Orleans, Louisiana; November 2013)
  • “Remedies Other than Damages in Business Litigation: Injunctions and Constructive Trusts” presented at the Business Disputes Seminar sponsored by the State Bar of Texas with Michael P. Maslanka and Ryan G. Anderson (Dallas, Texas; September 2013).
  • “The Increasing Scope and Role of Special Masters” presented at the Harris Martin MDL Conference with United States Circuit Judge Kathleen M. O’Malley, United States District Judge Ed Kinkeade, David Cohen and Patrick Juneau (Chicago, Illinois; May 2013)
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Affiliations

  • Former Judge, 134th District Court of Dallas County
  • Former Justice, Tenth District Court of Appeals (appointed to consider a single case)
  • Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
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The lawyers and staff at Stanton LLP treat our clients like family. Judges respect them, opposing counsel fear them, and I am glad to have Stanton LLP on our side when we go
to court.

Sean Modjarrad

Managing Shareholder
Modjarrad Abusaad Said Law Firm

Education

Baylor Law School

  • Juris Doctor
  • Baylor Law Review, Senior Executive Editor
  • Louis Muldrow Jury Argument Award
  • W. Frank Newton Law Review-Advocacy Award

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs

  • Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude

Admissions

Texas
Colorado (inactive)
US District Courts for the Northern, Eastern & Western Districts of Texas