Portrait adds to legacy of U.S. judge, TWU alum

A portrait of Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses was ceremoniously unveiled June 26 at the U.S. courthouse in San Antonio, the headquarters of the federal judiciary's Western District of Texas.

The occasion marked a milestone for the longtime jurist, whose humble beginnings in a tiny farming community in rural Texas evolved into a major force in a judicial district that covers a huge swath of Texas.

Moses, BBA '83, developed an interest in attending law school while attending Texas Woman's. It was one of her TWU professors, Jim Alexander, who helped establish a barrister's club at the university that helped sharpen Moses' focus on a career in law.

Moses became the first woman to be appointed to a district bench in the Western District in 2002. In 2022, she became the district's first female chief judge. As chief, she oversees budgetary and administrative matters for the district, which covers 68 counties across 93,000 square miles of Texas.

Federal judges who attain chief status are honored with portraits that permanently hang in the courthouses that serve as the headquarters for the districts to which they are assigned.

Moses presides over a federal bench in Del Rio, where she has resided since 1990. She helped establish a U.S. Attorney's Office in the South Texas border town and later served as a U.S. Magistrate Judge before she was appointed to the bench by President George W. Bush.

Although petite in stature, Moses' presence looms large in the federal judiciary. The Western District is among the country's largest and maintains one of its busiest criminal dockets. In her nearly 24 years as a federal judge, Moses has presided over more than 300 jury trials and closed more than 25,000 criminal cases.

About 350 guests attended the unveiling of her official portrait, which was painted by artist Tim Byram.

Dozens of federal and state judges attended the ceremony, with several of her closest colleagues and mentors taking turns praising Moses for her service on the bench. Guests included about three dozen former law clerks who served Moses in Del Rio. Many traveled from outside Texas to honor the judge.

Among them was Nicole Westbrook, who was the very first law clerk to be hired by Moses after she became a federal judge. Westbrook now is a complex commercial trial lawyer and partner with Jones & Keller in Denver.

She recalled that Moses, despite having an extraordinarily busy docket, still made time to coach her through mock arguments, help her network, and worked alongside her through many nights and weekends preparing for trials. Amazingly, the two found time to make regular spin classes and train for a marathon.

"And here is the thing - I am not unique," Westbrook told the audience. "Since I gave up my seat in her chambers, somewhere between 30 and 50 young lawyers have walked through those same doors and learned the very same lessons: Be truthful. Be honorable. Work hard. Lift up the ones coming behind you. And do not fear the ones ahead of you. Be kind, but not soft. Be strong, but not callous. Laugh as often as you can. And lead."

Moses was quick to heap praise on the many colleagues, clerks and support staff who she said were critical in helping keep her docket moving.

"For every case and every hour I have worked, many around me have put in three to five hours in support of that work," Moses said. "I want to take the opportunity to acknowledge their tireless and determined efforts to ensure my part in the judicial system is accomplished."

And following a brief, emotional pause, the judge thanked her family members for unwavering support. Among them were a sister and a brother who traveled from the tiny farming community of Quemado, Texas, near Eagle Pass, where she grew up.

"You inspire me to be a better person every day … Los quiero mucho (I love you all very much)."

Page last updated 11:16 AM, July 3, 2026