The Hon. Carmen Symes Dusek is a judge of the 51st District Court of Texas. She was appointed to the bench by Governor Greg Abbott in 2018, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of the Hon. Barbara L. Walther.
The 51st District encompasses Coke, Irion, Schleicher, Sterling, and Tom Green Counties.
Prior to her appointment, Dusek was senior counsel at Jackson Walker, a law firm she joined in 2017. She is known for her involvement as lead attorney in the child custody case against Warren Jeffs, the leader of Yearning For Zion, a polygamist compound.
Dusek earned a B.A. from Texas Tech University in 1992. She then completed a J.D. at Texas Tech University School of Law in 1996.
After graduating from law school, Dusek entered into private practice, working as an associate at Jackson Walker. She remained with the firm until 2000, at which time she joined her father as a partner at Symes Dusek.
Her memberships have included the Texas Young Lawyers Association, the Tom Green County Young Lawyers Association, the Tom Green County Bar Association, the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys, the National Association of Counsel for Children, the Defense Research Institute, and the Texas Bar Foundation.
She is a registered Republican.