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"<p align=\"left\">The newest member of the judiciary in Jefferson County will take the oath of office Thursday.</p><br /><p align=\"left\">Gerald Eddins will be sworn in as judge of Jefferson County Court at Law No. 1 at 11 a.m., Nov. 29, in the Jury Impaneling Room of the Jefferson County Courthouse.</p><br /><p align=\"left\">Eddins won the Nov. 6 election to replace Alfred Gerson, who retired after 28 years on the bench. The Port Arthur native graduated from Texas Tech University and has been in private practice for 34 years. He and partner Barry Bennett run the Eddins &amp; Bennett Law Firm LLP in Beaumont. Eddins is board certified in trial law.</p><br /><p align=\"left\">He has an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale Hubbard &ldquo;the highest reflection of expertise, experience, integrity and overall excellence.&rdquo;</p><br /><p align=\"left\">Eddins is a former president of the Port Arthur Bar Association, a member of the Jefferson County Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the Texas Bar Association, College of the State Bar of Texas and the Christian Trial Lawyers Association.</p><br /><p align=\"left\">He is also a Charter Life Member of the 100 Club of South East Texas, a Life Time Member of the East Texas Peace Officers Association, a member of the DPS Officers Association and a member of the Texas Game Warden&rsquo;s Association.</p><br /><p align=\"left\">Eddins has also served as a former member of The Rotary Club of Port Arthur, Board of Directors of the First National Bank of Mid-County, South Jefferson County Chapter of American Red Cross and Member of Groves Chamber of Commerce.</p><br /><p align=\"left\">While in High School in Port Arthur, Eddins was a volunteer firefighter and a member of the East Texas Fireman and Fire Marshall Association. He was also a Boy Scout and a member of the Order of the Arrow.</p><br /><p align=\"left\">Eddins and his wife Carol have been married for 36 years and have five children. They are members of Calder Baptist Church in Beaumont.</p><br /><p align=\"left\">On Thursday, a reception will follow the swearing-in ceremony.</p>"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://setexasrecord.com/stories/510619967-eddins-to-be-sworn-in-as-court-at-law-judge>