Waller County accepts Judge Carol Cheney's resignation; temporary coverage options discussed

Waller County commissioners accepted the resignation of Judge Carol Cheney (County Court-at-Law No. 1), effective March 6, 2026, and discussed interim judicial coverage and staffing implications.

The court acknowledged Cheney's years of service and discussed the mechanics for short-term coverage. County legal counsel explained that, under state practice, the regional administrative judge can appoint a visiting judge while the courthouse continues to operate. "Judge Trapp can appoint someone as a visiting judge to serve for a period of time, until the commissioner's court appoints a replacement," counsel said, adding that Cheney technically remains a holdover until a replacement is sworn in.

Commissioners discussed whether to appoint an interim locally to avoid paying a retired judge holding over, versus relying on associate or visiting judges; several commissioners noted family-law dockets require continuity. Staff said the associate judge can manage many duties provided the parties do not object, and visiting judges are typically paid by the day and do not perform as much out-of-court work.

The court voted to accept the resignation and directed staff to coordinate interim judicial coverage and a process for appointing a replacement following the runoff election schedule.