Morales Wins Laredo Municipal Court Judge Race
Rodolfo Morales III defeated Nathan Henry Chu for Laredo Municipal Court Judge, Place 1, in the November election.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Elections
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Rodolfo Morales III defeated Nathan Henry Chu for Laredo Municipal Court Judge, Place 1, receiving 54.19% of the vote in the Tuesday, November 3, 2026 general election. Morales will begin his duties as Municipal Court judge on January 1.
Why it matters
The result determines who will oversee Laredo's municipal court, which handles a high volume of local cases. Morales has pledged to reduce delays and improve court operations.
Morales received 27,031 votes (54.19%) to Chu's 22,848 votes (45.81%), a margin of 4,183 votes. Morales will continue serving on the Laredo ISD Board of Trustees with two years remaining in his term.
The players
Rodolfo Morales III
Morales is a Laredo attorney and former Webb County assistant district attorney who also serves on the Laredo ISD Board of Trustees.
Nathan Henry Chu
Chu is a Laredo attorney who served seven years as an associate municipal court judge and has processed more than 95,000 cases.
The details
Morales campaigned by traveling throughout the city, going to neighborhoods and knocking on doors. He previously worked five years as a Webb County assistant district attorney, operated his own law firm for five years, and has served as an assistant city attorney, while Chu served seven years as an associate municipal court judge and processed more than 95,000 cases.
Timeline
Tuesday, November 3, 2026: General election vote held.
January 1, 2027: Morales begins his duties as Municipal Court judge.
Political Context
The race pitted a former assistant city attorney and Webb County prosecutor against a longtime associate judge with extensive case-processing experience. The outcome shifts leadership of a court Chu had worked in for seven years.
Residents with cases before the Laredo Municipal Court will be affected by a new judge's approach to scheduling and case management. Morales has said he will hold court outside regular hours when necessary.
The takeaway
Local court outcomes often depend on how judges manage caseloads, so residents with pending matters should track changes as Morales takes office. Continued attention to court scheduling will show whether promised efficiency gains materialize.
What happens next
Morales begins his term as Municipal Court judge on January 1, 2027.
Further reading
Explore more Elections coverage for the local races shaping Laredo.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Laredo Morning Times.
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