Ernie Aliseda is the Legal Counsel for DHR Health, the nation’s largest physician owned hospital, as well as a municipal judge for the City of McAllen. He is also a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, Judge Advocate General Corps, where he served as an Army Trial Judge, as well as a retired State District Judge, having served both the 398th and 139th State District Courts.
Ernie has dedicated the greater part of his life to public service and giving back to his community, profession, state, and country. In 2019 finished serving a six (6) year term on the University of Texas System, Board of Regents (2013-2019), where he was Chairman of the Academic Affairs Committee, along with the Audit, Compliance and Risk Management Committee. Along with his over 20 years of military service in the Army/Army Reserves, Judge Aliseda has served in various capacities. In 2008 and 2009, then Major Aliseda was called to active duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where he served as the Chief of Federal Litigation for the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate of the Army XVIII Airborne Corps. Upon his return from active duty, he was appointed as a Commissioner on the Governor's Texas Military Preparedness Commission and resigned his appointment to serve on the U. T. System Board of Regents.
Judge Aliseda is a Life Fellow and former Board member of the College of the State Bar, as well as a former State Bar Director. He is a past President of the Hidalgo County Bar Association; a past President of the Hidalgo County Young Lawyers Association; past Board Member, Texas Young Lawyers Association, State Bar of Texas; past Board Member, Texas Rural Legal Aid; and also a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. He volunteers his time as a volunteer Judge for the McAllen Teen Court program and also now as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. A frequent lecturer, Judge Aliseda has lectured on various legal topics throughout the United States, Mexico, and abroad in Portugal and Spain. In addition to numerous military awards, in 2008 Ernie was awarded the “FBI Director’s Award” for his work as a federal prosecutor. In 2009 he was awarded the “Ethics Award” by the Hidalgo County Bar Association and the Texas Center for Legal Ethics, the “Community Service & Leadership Award” in 2019 by the University of Houston Law Center, the “Jim Bowmer Professionalism Award” by the Texas Bar College in 2020 and the Leadership & Public Service Award by the Loyola University Chicago School of Law in 2023.
Ernie earned his undergraduate degree from Texas A&M University and his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. He is a licensed attorney in Texas and Illinois. He is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law, along with being a certified mediator, arbitrator, and litigation management professional. Ernie is married to Debbie Aliseda, who is the current President of the McAllen ISD School Board. They have five children (Cristina(29), Nicolas(29), Alexandra(28), Sofia(21) and Natali(14).