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County Judge
Judge Jhiela “Gigi” Poynter
 
808 Commerce Street, Room 104
Refugio, TX 78377
Phone: 361-526-4434

 

Biography

Jhiela "Gigi" Mirdamadi Poynter is the County Judge of Refugio County, Texas and a practicing attorney.  

Gigi and her husband, Tim, live in Refugio with their children. In her free time, Gigi coaches youth soccer and likes to travel, having visited 20 countries and counting.

Professional Experience

  • COUNTY JUDGE, Refugio County (2023-Present)
  • OWNER AND ATTORNEY, Poynter Law, PLLC, Law Office of Jhiela M. Poynter (2020-Present)
  • ATTORNEY, Law Offices of Bernard T. Klimist (2012-2020)

 

Education

  • TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW, Master of Laws in Wealth Management (2022)
  • PAUL M. HEBERT LAW CENTER, LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY, Juris Doctor (2012), Graduate Diploma in Comparative Law (2012)
    • LSU International Law Society: President (2011)
    • University of Missouri-Columbia Law School, Cape Town, South Africa (2011)
    • Santa Clara University Law School, Istanbul, Turkey (2010)
  • UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT LAFAYETTE, Bachelor of Arts, Double Major in Political Science & English, cum laude (2009)
    • President’s List and Honors Program Graduate
    • Phi Beta Delta Honors Society for International Scholars
    • Sigma Alpha Lambda National Honors and Leadership Organization
    • American Institute for Foreign Study, Florence, Italy (2008)

 

Certifications, Awards & Associations

  • TEXAS BAR COLLEGE, Franklin Jones Best CLE Award Recipient (2022)
  • TEXAS SUPER LAWYERS, Rising Star (2021, 2022, 2023)
  • COASTAL BEND’S 50 WOMEN OF DISTINCTION, Honoree (2022)
  • REFUGIO COUNTY PRESS, Newsmaker of the Year (2022)
  • REFUGIO LIONS CLUB, Member (2021-Present)
  • REFUGIO COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, Member (2021-Present)
  • JUNIOR LEAGUE OF VICTORIA, Treasurer (2021), Women Leaders of Tomorrow Chair (2018), Member (2014-Present)
  • COLLEGE OF THE STATE BAR, Member (2020-Present)
  • U.S. FEDERAL TAXATION CERTIFICATION, University of Illinois/Coursera (2020)
  • REAL ESTATE, PROBATE & TRUST LAW SECTION OF THE STATE BAR, Member (2020-Present)
  • 20 UNDER 30 YOUNG PROFESSIONALS OF THE CROSSROADS, Honoree (2018)
  • VICTORIA COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION, President (2018), President-Elect (2017), Member (2013-2020)
  • CERTIFIED GUARDIAN AD LITEM (2017-Present)
  • TOP 50 VERDICTS IN TEXAS 2016, TopVerdict.com (2016)
  • LEADERSHIP VICTORIA, Victoria Chamber of Commerce, Participant (2013)

 

Publications & Presentations

  • “Don’t Take Your Crypto to the Crypt: Estate Planning Strategies and Considerations for Cryptocurrency, NFTS, and Other Emerging Digital Asset Technologies.” Victoria County Bar Association, Lunch & Learn CLE, May 18, 2022. https://texasbarcollege.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Jhiela-Mirdamadi-Poynter-Article.pdf

     

  • “Progress Report: Opening A New Practice.” Above the Law, Breaking Media, Inc., 27 May 2021, https://abovethelaw.com/2021/05/progress-report-opening-a-new-practice.

     

  • "Too Little, Too Late: Dunbar v. Seger-Thomschitz and the Ongoing Challenge Posed by Prescriptive Periods in Holocaust-era Art and Cultural Property Restitution Matters." Art Antiquity and Law 17.1 (2012): 69-89.

 

Useful Information

Commissioners Court

Commissioners Court Meetings - Live Zoom Link

Commissioners Court Agendas - 2023

Commissioners Court Minutes - 2023

 

County Court

2024 County Court Docket

Refugio County Local Rules of Practice

 

What Does the County Judge Do?

In Texas, county judges are the ceremonial and political heads of county government with varying duties and responsibilities. Here in Refugio, the County Judge performs a variety of these duties, including:

  • Presiding over the five-member Commissioners Court and overseeing the agenda.
  • Representing the county through service on various boards, including the Crossroads Regional Public Defender Office Oversight Board, the Coastal Bend Council of Governments Board of Directors and Executive Board, the Coastal Plains Local Emergency Planning Committee, the Refugio County Community Development Foundation Board, and the Chief Elected Officials Council for Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend.
  • Serving as the Chief Budget Officer for the county
  • Overseeing several county departments, including the Airport, Animal Control, Elderly Services, Emergency Management, Food Services, the Library, and Maintenance.
  • Chairing committees for oversight of certain county employees and/or departments, including Elections Administration and Juvenile Probation.
  • Representing the county in several administrative functions.
  • Serving as the judge of the County Court in certain criminal and civil cases, probate matters, juvenile matters, and appeals from the Justice of the Peace Court.
  • Serving as the Director of Emergency Management for the county.


There are 254 county judges in Texas (one for each county) tasked with a mix of executive, judicial, and legislative or quasi-legislative powers.