| ► Judge Don Windle of Denton, TX; nepotist, liar |
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Judge Don Windle of Denton, TX; nepotist, liar  The state of Texas provided Don R. Windle with a law license in 1973 after he graduated from Texas Tech University Law School.
The Texas Judicial Commission found Judge Windle guilty of the following misconduct while he sat as the presiding Probate Judge for Denton County, Texas.
Nepotism “101”
In August 2003 Don married his court investigator, Beverly McClure. The marriage ended in March 2004 when Beverly divorced Donnie.
Sometime before 2003, Don asked the Denton County Commissioner’s Court about providing funds for a program that would provide guardianship services for incapacitated persons. In late 2003 Donnie’s request was granted when $75,000 was set aside for the program. At the same time, Donnie’s wife established an outfit called Guardianship Services, Inc. as a nonprofit organization. The Articles of Incorporation stated that the specific purpose of Guardianship Services, Inc. is to provide guardianship services as direct by the Denton County Probate Court for incapacitated individuals.
In support of his wife’s proposal to the Commissioner’s Court, Donnie submitted a letter of recommendation in which he extolled the “skills and abilities” of the principals (his wife) Guardianship Services, Inc. Shortly thereafter, the Commissioner’s Court entered in a contract for the services of Guardianship Services.
In his sworn written response to the Judicial Commission’s initial inquiry, Donnie falsely stated (perjury) that his ex-wife’s company was not created until after their March 2004 divorce.
Favoritism “101”
Rick Woolfolk, an investment broker has been a friend and business partner of Judge Windle for nearly 10 years. Rick and Don have a limited partnership that owns an airplane. Dick also owns an option to buy a one-half interest in the hangar housing the airplane. The company that owns the hanger is Windle & Windle Investments, whose sole shareholder is Donnie.
During the time of their friendship and business association, Donnie repeatedly appointed Woolfok to serve as a commissioner in eminent domain cases handled by Donnie’s court. According to the Dallas Morning News (05/27/05), Woolfolk “received at least 47 appointments worth almost $30,000.” The Dallas Morning News further reported that Woolfolk also earned money with Donnie’s approval for safeguarding stocks belonging to dead or incapacitated people in probate court. Donnie never challenged the accuracy of the Dallas Morning News stories.
As a consequence of his misconduct, the patron saints for Judicial Misfits sitting on the Texas Supreme Court punished Donnie by gifting him with a reprimand.
As we speak (ca. June 2012) Don continues to sit as the Senior Probate Judge in Denton, Texas.
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