Judge Christine Nowak

Christine A. Nowak, 493rd Judicial District Court Judge, Collin County; Former United States Magistrate Judge Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division

Christine A. Nowak, Class of ’02, is currently the Judge of the 493rd Judicial District Court in Collin County and is a former United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division (2015-2023). Nowak graduated with honors from Baylor Law School, and earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting with honors from Texas A&M University. While at A&M, Nowak was heavily involved with the Student Government Association, receiving the Buck Weirus Spirit Award, which recognizes students for their outstanding contributions to student life programs at Texas A&M.

Nowak began her legal career at K&L Gates, LLP (formerly Hughes Luce), where she worked in the firm’s commercial litigation practice group and tried her first cases to jury verdict. She later joined Dykema Gossett PLLC, rising to the level of Member (Partner) in her first year of eligibility and serving as the hiring/recruiting partner for the Dallas office. There, she continued to focus on complex business and commercial disputes, garnering a broad array of experience advising businesses and employers in state and federal court. During her decade in private practice, Nowak was recognized numerous times as a Texas Monthly “Rising Star” for Business Litigation, General Litigation, and Estate & Trust Litigation and was named DAYL Outstanding Young Lawyer of the Year. Nowak was appointed United States Magistrate Judge for the Eastern District of Texas, Sherman Division, in 2015. During her eight years on the federal bench, Nowak resolved thousands of pretrial matters, including discovery, pleading, and summary judgment motions, and presided over numerous jury trials. As a federal judge, she also conducted hundreds of settlement conferences and mediations in all types of civil litigation. Nowak was named Baylor Law School Young Lawyer of the Year in 2023, shortly before she was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott to Collin County’s newest court, the 493rd Judicial District Court in Collin County, on October 3, 2023. In 2024, Nowak was named Outstanding Jurist by the Collin County Women Lawyer’s Association. Nowak currently presides over both civil and family cases.

Nowak is married to fellow Aggie and Judge of the 366th District Court Judge of Collin County, the Hon. Tom Nowak. They have two children and live in Collin County, Texas.