BIOGRAPHY
JUDGE TUCK MOODY MCLAIN
On June 15, 2017, Governor Abbott signed legislation creating the first Grimes County Court at Law. The creation of the court took effect October 1, 2017. As a result, it became the responsibility of the Grimes County Commissioner’s Court to appoint a Judge to hold the position until the next general election at which time, the citizens of Grimes County elected the Judge of the new court. The Grimes County Commissioner’s Court unanimously asked long time District Attorney, Tuck McLain, to serve as Judge. McLain accept the position and was sworn in on October 1, 2017. Judge McLain was elected as Judge of the Grimes County Court at Law in the November 2018 general election and was sworn in on January 1, 2019.
The creation of the County Court at Law resulted in all judicial responsibilities held by the Constitutional County Court Judge, to be transferred to a full-time attorney Judge. In addition to the transfer of duties performed by the Constitutional County Court, the legislation also resulted in the transfer of all family law and condemnation cases from the two District Courts to the County Court at Law. These transfers allow the district courts to focus their time and efforts on the serious criminal cases and larger civil law suits.
Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge McLain served as a prosecutor for 30 years.
In 1995, McLain was appointed District Attorney for Grimes, Madison and Leon Counties by then, Texas Governor, George W. Bush. McLain was the longest sitting District Attorney in Grimes County history, having served as District Attorney for over 22 years. For over six years prior to his appointment, McLain served as the sole Assistant District Attorney for the tri-county district. Before returning home to Grimes County in 1989 to begin his 28 year tenure as a prosecutor for Grimes County, McLain served two years as an Assistant County Attorney in Brazos County.
McLain was Board Certified as a Specialist in Criminal in 1994. In 2012, McLain was one of only a handful of Texas attorneys to become board certified in both Criminal Law and Criminal Appellate law.
McLain is a 5th generation Grimes Countian. He is the son of the late J.M. McLain of Iola and Lorraine Moody of Piedmont. He is a 1979 graduate of Navasota High School. McLain has been married to his high school sweetheart and fellow Navasota native, Linda Meekins McLain, for over 35 years. Linda is a practicing attorney in Navasota and the sanctuary pianist at First Baptist Church of Navasota. The McLains have two daughters, Cailey, an attorney practicing in Brazos County and Alex, a student at Texas A&M.
