Rusek sworn in as 74th State District Court judge
WACO, Texas (KWTX) - Waco attorney and former Midway school board President Peter Rusek was sworn in Monday as the ninth judge in McLennan County history to preside over 74th State District Court.
Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Rusek, 66, a shareholder in the Waco law firm Sheehy, Lovelace and Mayfield, to replace Judge Gary Coley Jr., who won a new four-year term in January 2025 before resigning in February.
McLennan County Judge Scott Felton swore Rusek into office as the new judge’s wife of 45 years, Robbye, held the Bible.
“There is a running joke that the Sheehy firm is trying to monopolize the courthouse, and Judge (Pat) Atkins and Judge (Alan) Bennett will tell you that is simply not true,” Rusek joked to the crowd assembled in 74th State District Court for the ceremony.
Bennett, judge of 474th State District Court; Atkins, judge of McLennan County Court-at-Law No. 3; and retired 10th Court of Appeals Justice Rex Davis all worked at the Sheehy law firm, which was established in 1893.
As the ceremony was concluding, Rusek looked around on the court bench to see if he could find a gavel to adjourn the proceedings. He couldn’t find one, prompting Felton to joke that the court gavel was not included in this year’s streamlined county budget.
Someone noted that at least the court has a nice chair for the judge. However, Rusek said he was bringing a special one with him from his old law firm that belonged to one of the longtime former partners, John F. Sheehy Jr., who worked at the firm from sometime shortly after World War II until his death in 2018.
“I am completely awestricken,” Rusek said. “I never thought I would be in this position and I am incredibly fortunate to be in this position, and I just look forward to taking the job on and working as hard at it as I have worked at practicing law.”
Rusek will go to the Texas Center for Judiciary college for new judges for four days starting on Tuesday, then “come back and hit the ground running,” he said.
Rusek resigned recently from the Midway Independent School District board, where he had been a member since 1996 and president since 2004.
He has filed to run for election to the unexpired term in the March 2026 Republican primary. If successful there and in the November 2026 general election, he will run again for a full, four-year term in 2028.
As an attorney, Rusek represented the Waco school board, McLennan Community College, the Brazos River Authority, the McLennan County Central Appraisal District, the Waco Housing Authority, the Waco Industrial Foundation and the Waco Association of Realtors.
The 74th State District Court, one of six district courts in McLennan County, has general jurisdiction over civil and felony criminal cases, but historically handles civil disputes and family law matters.
Rusek earned a bachelor’s in psychology from Texas A&M University and his law degree from Baylor University, where he has served as adjunct professor since 1987.
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