Rotary Club and Justice of the Peace Kaylah Rosas

Justice Kaylah Rosas was appointed to the office of Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1 in Falls County, Texas in February 2021 and was on the ballot unopposed in the general election on November 8, 2022. She was sworn to office on January 1, 2023. 

Justice Rosas was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She is a graduate of Deer Park High School in Houston, and attended San Jacinto College. Judge Rosas received her TCOLE (Texas Commission of Law Enforcement) certificate in 1990 through the University of Houston. She is also a board member of Samaritan House and the Allen House in Marlin.

In her leisure time, she enjoys thrifting, crocheting, and volunteering at food pantries.

Justice Rosas’ mission is to serve the people of Falls County and Texas and execute the duties of her office with integrity, fairness, compassion and respect within the boundaries of the law, and to ensure that justice is done in all matters brought before the court.

Those matters are complex and span a myriad of responsibilities. Justice Rosas is acting coroner for all unattended deaths. She also presides over wedding contracts which most often take place at the Falls County Courthouse. On occasion Justice Rosas has travelled to an offsite location to officiate a marriage contract.

The Justice Court has jurisdiction of small claims, debt claims, and eviction. Justice courts have jurisdiction of civil matters in which the amount in controversy is not more than $20,000. Justice Rosas hears traffic and other Class C misdemeanor cases punishable by fine only, and hears truancy cases. She adjudicates over driver’s license suspension hearings. 

 Justice of the Peace Courts are part of the state judicial system.

The duty of the Justice of the Peace Courts is to assist individuals in any way possible, but the Rules of Judicial Ethics prohibits the court from giving legal advice, telling either party how to present their case or expressing opinions of law. The Judge and Court clerks can answer questions about court procedures.

Rotary shares its quest for peace with the Courts of Peace. Peace has been one of Rotary’s top goals almost since the day Paul Harris founded it in 1905. In 1914, the convention adopted a resolution proposed by the Rotary Club of Hamilton, Ontario, that the International Association of Rotary Clubs “lend its influence to the maintenance of peace among the nations of the world.” Nations begin with the building up of our communities. With Peace and Conflict Resolution as one of Rotary’s centers of focus it is easy to recognize and appreciate the importance of the Peace Courts as an instrument and institution that allows access to justice and peace throughout the community.