Carol Bush

Path to county judge

In March 2009, she was appointed county judge by the Ellis County Commissioners' Court to fill the unexpired term of Chad Adams, who resigned to take a position in the private sector.

She defeated fellow Republican Kelly Kovar in the Republican primary election for county judge held on March 2, 2010, and then won the position in the general election.

Previous public service

Prior to assuming her current office, Bush maintained a law and mediation practice and previously served Ellis County as County Court at Law Judge in 1996 and 1997. She also served as an assistant District and County Attorney.

Education and law license

Carol Bush is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Ellis County Bar Association. She holds a Juris Doctorate (1987) from St. Mary's University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity University, both institutions in San Antonio. She obtained her license to practice law in May 1988.

Tenure in the bench

Judge Bush and two Ellis County commissioners were censured by the Ellis County Republican Party for raising property taxes by 5.12 percent during one of the worst recessions in Texas history.

At the time of Bush's confirmation as county judge by the Ellis County Commissioners' Court on April 8, 2009, she stated, "If my interests are for the people, then that is going to be reflected in my actions for this court."

Judge Bush won her second elected term in the Republican primary held in March 2014. She garnered 52.3 percent of the ballots cast.

In 2016, Judge Bush granted herself a 74 percent pay raise from $95,000 to $165,000 a year, more than the salary of Governor Greg Abbott. Citizens have sought a way to appeal her pay raise.