Contact David Houston
David Houston joined the firm in 2013. For the previous 30 years, he served as the United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Mississippi. In addition, he presided over cases in the Southern District of Mississippi, the Middle District of Louisiana, as well as, the Northern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas. He conducted trials in numerous consumer and complex business cases, authoring hundreds of published opinions. Prior to assuming the bench, he was a partner for 11 years in the Aberdeen, Mississippi, law firm of Houston, Chamberlain and Houston. He served as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, D.C., Tampa, Florida, and New York City. His practice is focused on commercial transactions, commercial litigation, bankruptcy, and creditors' rights. Due to his experience in the area of alternative dispute resolution, he is available to conduct mediation and arbitration proceedings.
Areas of Practice
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights
- Business/Commercial Litigation
- Municipal, County and Governmental Entities
Education
- University of Mississippi, B.B.A., (accountancy), 1966; Juris Doctor, 1969 Phi Kappa Phi, Omicron Delta Kappa, Beta Gamma Sigma, Beta Alpha Psi, Associated Student Body Judicial Council Chairman, and Sigma Chi
- Federal Judicial Center, Mediation Training Program
Professional Affiliations
- Served two three year terms as a member of the Board of Governors of the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges, (“NCBJ”), and was elected as President of that organization in 1993 – 1994; he chaired the Legislative Committee for over 13 years.
- For ten years, Houston served as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Bankruptcy Institute (“ABI”), a multi-discipline organization that focuses on both domestic and international commercial law; served as Co-Chairman of the ABI's Legislative Committee from 1999 – 2010; served as the Judicial Chairman of the ABI's Southeastern Legal Education Program from 1995 – 2003; and served as a member of the ABI's National Commission to Review Consumer Laws in the United States.
- Appointed to the Judicial Conference Committee on the Administrative Office of the United States Courts by Chief Justice William Rehnquist of the United States Supreme Court, and served for nine years; this committee had oversight responsibility of the agency that provides administrative services to all federal courts in the United States. Was thereafter appointed by Justice Rehnquist to the Judicial Conference Committee on the Budget where he served for a period of 15 years; this committee is responsible for promulgating the annual budget for all federal courts, as well as, working with Congress to achieve its passage. Houston served as Chairman of the Legislative Outreach Subcommittee of the Budget Committee from 2011 – 2013. This subcommittee worked closely with the Senate and House Appropriations Committees.
- Elected to serve as a member of the Board of Bar Commissioners for the Mississippi Bar Association, as well as, selected for membership as a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. Served as a member of the Foundation's Board of Trustees for two consecutive terms, and served as President of the Foundation in 2018 and 2019.
- Elected a Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy, which includes in its membership both national and international members.
- In 2011, Houston was selected to receive the Mississippi Bar Association's 2011 Judicial Excellence Award. In recognition of his accomplishments in furtherance of the quality of justice in the United States Courts, Houston was presented the Herbert M. Bierce Distinguished Judicial Service Award, which is the highest honor bestowed by the National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges.
Publications
- National Conference of Bankruptcy Judges Conference News
- American Bankruptcy Institute Journal
- Faculty Member and Lecturer: Federal Judicial Center; American Bankruptcy Institute; Memphis Bar Association; Tennessee Bar Association; West Texas Bankruptcy Conference; Bankruptcy Bar Association of South Florida; Alabama Bar Association; Southeastern Bankruptcy Law Institute; and Mississippi Bankruptcy Conference
Court Admissions
- All state and federal courts, Mississippi
- United States Courts of Appeal, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits
- United States Supreme Court
Civic
- St. John's Episcopal Church, Aberdeen, Mississippi
- Licensed Diocesan Lay Reader
- Licensed Eucharistic Minister
- Senior Warden
- University of Mississippi Alumni Hall of Fame, 2013
- University of Mississippi School of Law Hall of Fame, 2017
- University of Mississippi School of Law Lamar Order, Past Chairman
Previous Employment
- Federal Bureau of Investigation, Special Agent
- In 1983, Houston was appointed as United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Mississippi. Although he primarily served as a judge in the State of Mississippi, he also served as a visiting judge in the Southern District of Texas in Houston, the Northern District of Texas in Dallas and Fort Worth, the Western District of Texas in San Antonio, Austin, and El Paso, as well as, the Middle District of Louisiana in Baton Rouge.
Court Admissions
- All state and federal courts in Mississippi
- United States Courts of Appeals, Fifth and Eleventh Circuits
- United States Supreme Court
Bar Admissions
- Mississippi
Admitted
- 1969
