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Civil District Judge, 55th Judicial District: who gets your vote?

What this role does

Civil district judges hear legal disputes such as claims over property, contracts, and damages. They manage trials and apply civil law.

Their rulings affect how civil disputes are resolved.

  • Civil lawsuits
  • Trial proceedings

Read about them. Then tap a button to pick one. You can change it later.

Data last updated: Oct 31, 2026 (state and local ballot sources). Verify approaching elections with your state election office.

Our reading of the duties, not an official requirement. Doesn't rank or recommend anyone.

Office role sources

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Candidate
NC

NILE COPELAND

Running for Civil District Judge, 55th Judicial District · Texas

StateRepublican Party / Partido Republicano

Candidate
LL

LATOSHA LEWIS PAYNE

Running for Civil District Judge, 55th Judicial District · Texas

StateDemocratic Party / Partido Demócrata

NILE COPELANDCandidateLATOSHA LEWIS PAYNEChallenger

Job fit

NILE COPELAND

  • The State Bar of Texas lists Nile Bailey Copeland’s Texas license date as May 3, 2002. 1
  • His undated State Bar profile lists private law practice at Copeland Law Group, PLLC, with a firm size of two to five. 1
  • His State Bar profile lists graduation from South Texas College of Law in December 1999. 1

LATOSHA LEWIS PAYNE

  • The Houston Chronicle’s October 2026 voter guide identified Payne as the Democratic incumbent for the 55th Judicial District. 2
  • The Chronicle reported that Payne came to the bench in 2019 with 18 years of practice and board certification in civil trial law. 3
  • Payne graduated from the University of Texas School of Law, was a Gardere Wynne Sewell partner, and later cofounded a woman-owned civil litigation and insurance coverage firm, according to the Chronicle. 3

Past rulings

We haven't found past rulings for either candidate yet.

Who pays them

We haven’t finished researching campaign money.

Checks

No checks have run for either candidate yet.

Based on current data. May change in a future update.

Sources

  1. Find A Lawyer | Nile Bailey Copeland · checked 2026-10-31 used in: Experience
  2. Texas Election Endorsements · checked 2026-10-31 used in: Experience
  3. Voters should reelect these 8 Democratic civil district judges · checked 2026-10-31 used in: Experience