Hon. Judge King Fifer

Dallas, Texas

Former Judge King Fifer presided over Dallas County Court at Law No. 2 from January 2007 until January 2018. He oversaw more than 300 jury trials, some resulting in multi-million dollar verdicts, and more than a thousand bench trials. He was named Trial Judge of the Year by the Dallas chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates in 2009 and consistently received high ratings from attorneys appearing in his court. As judge, King supervised the resolution of disputes arising in the real estate, manufacturing, oil and gas, healthcare, computer technology, construction, retail sales, and insurance industries. He presided over many trials involving complex business litigation matters, including breach of contract, professional malpractice, fraud, partnership dissolution, violations of fiduciary duties, breach of non-compete covenants, theft of trade secrets, and employment-related issues.

Education  +-

  • The University of Texas at Dallas
    B.A. Government
    1987
  • The University of Tulsa College of Law
    J.D.
    1992
  • Texas Center for the Judiciary College for Judicial Studies
    Civil Certification
    2011

Experience  +-

  • Law Office of T. King Fifer, Dallas
    Principal
    2018-present
  • Burdin Mediations, Dallas
    Mediator
    2018-present
  • Dallas County Court at Law No. 2
    Presiding Judge
    2007-2018
  • Fisk & Fielder, P.C., Dallas, Texas
    Partner/Associate
    2003-2006, 1992-1996
  • Law Office of Ben C. Martin, P.C., Dallas
    Associate Attorney
    2000-2001
  • Fanning, Harper & Martinson, P.C., Dallas
    Partner/Associate
    2001-2003, 1996-2000

Memberships/Affiliations  +-

  • State Bar of Texas
    Member
  • Dallas Bar Association
    Member
  • Texas Bar Foundation
    Life Fellow
  • Dallas Bar Foundation
    Fellow
  • Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Foundation
    Fellow
  • Dallas Bar Association Board of Directors
    Judicial At–Large, Board Member
    2013
  • Mac Taylor American Inn of Court
    Master
    2007-Present
  • Curriculum Committee, Texas Center for the Judiciary
    Member
    2014-2017
  • American Association of Justice Law Student Mock Trial Regional Competition
    Judge
    February 2008
  • First United Methodist Church of Dallas
    Member
    2002-Present
  • Committee on Staff Parish, First United Methodist Church
    Member
    2014- Present
  • Committee on Finance, First United Methodist Church
    Member
    2004-2007
  • Committee on Lay Leadership, First United Methodist Church
    Member
    2005-2008
  • Lake Highlands YMCA
    Adventure Guides
    2005-2010
  • State High School Mock Trial Championship, Dallas
    Judge
    February 2008
  • National High School Mock Trial Championship, Dallas
    Judge
    May 2007
  • State High School Mock Trial Championship, Dallas
    Judge
    March 2016

Honors/Awards  +-

  • AV® Rating from Martindale-Hubbell
     
  • Elected by fellow Judges as Local Administrative County Judge
     
    2007, 2008
  • Elected by fellow Judges as Presiding County Court at Law Judge
     
    2012
  • Dallas County Dispute Resolution Center Leadership & Excellence Award for vision, leadership and support of the Dallas County ADR program and the overall mediation community
     
    2017
  • Named “Judge of the Year" by the American Board of Trial Advocates, Dallas Chapter
     
    November 2009

Seminar/Speaking/Authoring  +-

Judicial Panelist

  • Garland Bar Association County Court at Law CLE Program, January 2007, 2008, 2009

  • Dallas Bar Association Minority Attorney CLE Program, April 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017

  • National Institute for Trial Advocacy's "Taking and Defending Depositions" at Southern Methodist University, June 2007

  • National Center for State Courts: Workshop on Effective Judicial Campaign Oversight Committee, January 200

  • Dallas Bar Association Law Student Professionalism Committee CLE, May 2008

  • Dallas Association of Young Lawyers: “Do’s and Don’ts of Discovery,” July 2008

  • Dallas Bar Association Bench-Bar Conference: “Trends in Dallas Civil Courts,” September 2008

  • Southern Methodist University School of Law: “Alternative Dispute Resolution Processes,” October 2008

  • Dallas Association of Young Lawyers: “Walk Through the Courts,” November 2008, 2009

  • Southern Methodist University School of Law: “Alternative Dispute Resolution,” February 2009

  • Dallas Association of Young Lawyers: “Mock Voir Dire,” November 2009

  • State Bar of Texas Advanced Personal Injury Law Course, 2010 “Recusal and Disqualification of Judges” – Continuing Legal Education – July 2010

  • Moderator and State Bar of Texas Advanced Personal Injury Law Course: “Top 10 Things to Do or Avoid – A View from the Bench,” July 2011

  • State Bar of Texas Advanced Civil Trial Course “Judge’s Panel,” August 2011

  • Dallas Bar Association Judiciary Committee: “A Conversation with Civil Judges,” May 2012

  • Mesquite Bar Association: “A Conversation with Civil Judges,” June 2012

  • University of Texas Construction Law Course: “Arbitrators’ and Judges’ – Tips for Your Case,” September 2012

  • Dallas Bar Association Bench-Bar Conference: “What You Always Wanted to Ask a Judge - A Q&A for Young Lawyers with the Judges,” September 2012

  • State Bar of Texas Advanced Employment Law Course: “Positive Practices for Dispositive Motions,” January 2014

  • DFW-National Employment Lawyers Association: “Conversation with Civil Judges,” April 2014

  • Dallas Bar Association & University of North Texas at Dallas: “Tips for Courtroom Practice,” September 2014

  • Red River Showdown, Texas & Oklahoma Defense Lawyer Associations: “How to Deal with the Difficult Lawyer,” October 2014

  • University of Texas School of Law Insurance Law Institute: “Courtroom Practice in Insurance Cases,” November 2014

  • Red River Showdown, Texas & Oklahoma Defense Lawyer Associations: “A View from the Bench: What Works and What Doesn’t,” October 2015

  • Texas Defense Lawyer Association Construction Litigation Seminar: “A View from the Bench: Trial of Large Multiple Party Cases,” October 2015

  • A Day of Civility, Dallas Bar Association: “State Court Panel Discussion,” September 2016

  • Dallas Bar Association: Continuing Legal Education Conference: “Real Estate Litigation,” March 2017

Speaker

  • Dallas Bar Association Tort & Insurance Section: “A View from the Bench,” October 2008

  • Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business: “Civil Justice System,” April 2015, 2016

  • The Civil Justice System to elementary age school children – DeBusk Leadership Summer Camp – June 2012

  • The Civil Justice System to elementary age school children – DeBusk Leadership Summer Camp – June 2011

T King Fifer