Fight For What's Yours

Alicia Franklin York, Dedicated to Family Law in Texas

Alicia Franklin York is a former judge currently serving as a high-asset divorce attorney in Houston, Texas. She has over 17 years of experience, beginning her legal career as an attorney primarily practicing civil law before transitioning to focus on families. Alicia received her B.A. with honors from Mount Mercy College in 2000 and her J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 2003. From 2014 to 2018, she served as a Texas State District Judge in the 311th District Court in Harris County, Houston, Texas. She has been Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2019.

Alicia is married to Douglas Ray York and is a former college athlete, former marathon runner, and first-generation immigrant. She enjoys baking and spending time with her Labrador puppies.

A Houston Divorce Attorney with a Unique Experience

Alicia Franklin York’s experience working as both an attorney and a judge gives her a unique skill set and perspective. She has represented a wide range of clients in a variety of family law and child welfare matters during her time as an attorney. As a judge, she tried cases dealing with a broad assortment of legal complexities including:

• Divorces involving complex property issues such as business organizations, family trusts, and irrevocable trusts
• Divorces dealing with domestic violence
• Modifications
• Child custody matters
• Prenuptial agreements
• Terminations
• Adoptions
• Support of adult disabled children
• Child support
• Spousal maintenance
• Enforcement of child support
• Enforcement of child support
• Enforcement of possession and access
• Enforcement of division of property
• Post-divorce division of undivided property
• Torts
• Family matters involving same-sex couples, gender dysphoria, transgender, and non-binary individuals

As a judge and attorney, Alicia has experience with both jury trials and bench trials. She has also been designated as an expert witness in family law matters, including common law marriage.

Alicia is also a mediator, arbitrator, and may serve as a special judge by assignment of a district judge. She has received training from Mediators & Arbitrators of America in arbitration, family law mediations, and Child Protective Services mediations.

Practicing with Compassion

Alicia Franklin York also has unique training and experience involving families suffering from addictions, an issue that can make an already painful process even more complicated. During her time volunteering as the Presiding Judge over the Harris County Family Drug Court (also known as the Harris County Family Intervention-Infant Toddler Court) from 2015-2018, Alicia dealt with cases involving alcoholism, as well as addictions to controlled substances, prescription medications, sex, pornography, gambling, and gaming.

Currently, Alicia serves as a committee member of the Specialty Courts Advisory Committee, to which she was appointed by Governor Gregg Abbott. This committee oversees the quality and funding of specialty courts in Texas, including DWI courts, drug courts, family drug courts, sex trafficking courts, and veteran’s courts.

Committed to Excellence

Alicia Franklin York is committed to ensuring the quality and integrity of legal representation in Texas. As such, she is involved in a variety of organizations dedicated to excellence and accountability in family law and beyond. She is a member of the Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists, is the vice-president of the Texas Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, a life fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, and a member of the Houston Bar Association. She is currently working to ensure the integrity of the legal profession by serving on the Texas State Bar Pattern Jury Charge Committee-Family Law and Probate Committee. She is also a member of Burta Rhoads Raborn Family Law Inns of Court, an affiliate of the American Inns of Court, and Gulf Coast Family Law Specialists.

Education

• St. Mary’s University School of Law, San Antonio, Texas, 2003
  • J.D.
• Mount Mercy College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 2000
  • B.A.
  • Honors: summa cum laude
  • Major: Business Administration
  • Major: Criminal Justice
  • Minor: Sociology

Honors

• Top 10 Family Law Award by Attorney and Practice Magazine, 2019 – 2020
• 10 Best Female Attorneys-Texas by American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, 2019 – Present
• Recognizing Excellence in Family Law by Lawyers of Distinction, 2020 – Present
• Texas Bar College Member, 2019 – Present

Classes/Seminars

• CPS Mediations, Texas Modern Mediation Conference, 2020 – Present
• The Expert, Expert Witness, Texas Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, 2019 – Present
• Arbitration and Special Judge Assignments, Houston Bar Association, 2019 – Present
• Brady Bunch 2.0-Rights & Duties, Burta Rhoads Raborn Inn of Court, 2019 – Present
• Parental Alienation, Houston Bar Association, 2018 – Present
• Divorce Lawyers Diaries: Bias in the Courtroom, Burta Rhoads Raborn Inn of Court, 2018 – Present
• As Family Court Judges See It, National Business Institute, 2017 – Present
• Harris County Family Drug Court, Family Lawyers of Texas Foundation, 2017 – Present
• Keeping Infants and Toddlers Safe, KITS, 2015 – 2018
• What Judges Want You to Know, National Business Institute, 2016 – Present
• Temporary Restraining Orders, Texas Family Lawyers, 2016 – Present
• Alternatives when DFPS Doesn’t Follow the Rules, 4th Annual Definitive Ad Litem Seminar in DFPS Cases, 2014 – Present

Published Works

• Enhancing Information Sharing in Family Drug Courts: A Lean Six Sigma Case Study, Juvenile & Family Court Journal, Volume 68, Number 3, September, 2017

Pro-Bono Work

• Texas State District Judge presided over the Harris County Family Drug Court, 2015 – 2018

Past Employment

• Franklin York Mediations, Mediator, Arbitrator, and Special Judge, 2019 – Present
• Texas State District Judge, Presided over 311th District Court, Harris County, Texas, 2014 – 2018
• Presiding Judge of the Harris County Family Intervention-Infant Toddler Court, 2015 to 2018
• Specialty Courts Advisory Committee, 2014 – Present, 2009 – 2014
• Special Master for the 310th & 311th District Family Courts of Harris County, Texas, 2010 – 2014
• Law Offices of Alicia K. Franklin, PC, Solo Practitioner, 2009 – 2014
• Goldapp-Rodriguez, L.L.P., Associate Attorney, 2004 – 2009
• Special Force Commissioner, 2006, Appointed by County Judge of Harris County, Houston, Texas to hear eminent domain case, – Present
• Law Offices of Frederick Zlotucha, Associate Attorney, 2003 – 2004
• Law Offices of Frederick Zlotucha, Law Clerk, 2003

Specialties and Certifications

• Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 2019