US judge with Kerala roots takes oath for second term from husband’s village

When Juli A Mathew was growing up in a non-descript village in Kerala, no one might have thought that the little girl would one day become the first Indian-American woman to become a judge in the US. But that happened four years ago, and after taking oath as a Fort Bend County Judge in Texas for the second consecutive time, she now feels it is the best job she ever had.

A native of Thiruvalla in Kerala’s Pathanamthitta district, Mathew migrated to the US years ago with her parents, discontinuing her studies in the village school. She never dreamt of becoming a lawyer or judge. However, when her father faced some legal issues in his business years ago, the first thoughts about the need to study law were planted in her mind.

Mathew did study law in the US and went on to serve as an advocate for 15 long years in the country before being elected to a judges’ bench four years ago, shattering the glass ceiling and defying odds. She took oath for the second time from her husband’s ancestral house in Pathanamthitta district via video conferencing on Monday.

It’s all about family

“It was my wish to swear-in from my husband’s house this time. Otherwise, my in-laws could not have been able to partake in the ceremony. I am so happy that they and other family members could witness the oath-taking,” she told PTI on Tuesday.

Mathew, who is in her mid-forties, said when she became a judge for the first time, her parents were there to witness the ceremony and bless her. “It is such a beautiful memory,” she smiled.

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She also recalled how her parents once tried to discourage her from pursuing legal studies, as they felt it was a “stressful” field. This time, her parents and elder daughter could not take part in the ceremony, as they were away in the US.

Earlier, Mathew shared a video on Facebook showing her swearing-in before Judge Christian Becerra and the brief prayer meeting held at the house, presided by a local priest and attended by her husband, two younger daughters, in-laws, and other family members. The mother of three girls said she could not visit Vennikulam, her ancestral village in Thiruvalla, due to other engagements.

Tied to roots

She still remembers the day she left for the US with her parents after discontinuing her studies in the fifth standard at a local English-medium school. When asked how she still maintains good fluency in Malayalam, Mathew said with a chuckle that she had almost forgotten her mother tongue at one point but successfully revived it through constant interactions with the community members.

“My family, husband, and parents, are my pillars of support. I do all the house chores alone, including feeding my children. It is with the immense support of my family that I am managing both personal and professional matters without fail,” she added. Her husband is a businessman in the US.

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Mathew was re-elected for a second term after defeating her Republican challenger Andrew Dornburg. She will continue to serve as presiding judge for four years. Mathew was voted the Administrative Judge for the County Courts by her peers and also heads the first Juvenile Intervention and Mental Health Court.

The judge and her family will leave for the US on January 5.

(With agency inputs)