MIDLAND COUNTY, Texas — Midland County held a retirement party for the longest sitting District Judge Friday.
The county celebrated Judge George D. "Jody" Gilles with a special party after he retired on December 31, 2020. The celebration was pushed off due to COVID precuations.
Gilles presided over the 142nd District Court for 27 years, after he was elected in 1992. He is only the third every judge for that court.
Prior to his term as district judge, he was an associate of a Midland law form, then served as a solo practitioner after opening his own law office.
When asked about his most memorable cases, Gilles had quite a wholesome answer.
"Usually the happiest events are adoptions. Because everyone is happy, no one's upset. And those are totally, you know, blessed events in in a judge's life and in the lives of the people involved," Gilles said.