Justice David Wellington Chew was born in El Paso, Texas on September 29, 1947, the son of Wellington Yee Chew, a prominent attorney and civic leader, and Patricia M. Chew, an elementary school teacher and principal. He attended Irvin High School and the University of Texas at El Paso before accepting a congressional appointment to the United States Naval Academy. He graduated from the Academy with a Bachelor of Science in 1971 and was commissioned as an Ensign in the United States Navy. His first assignment was on the U.S.S. Claud Jones (DE-1033) as Communications Officer and later as Operations Officer. In 1975, then Lieutenant Chew was assigned as the Flag Lieutenant/Personal Aide to Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group Twelve, homeported in Mayport, Florida. He attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Justice Chew was graduated from the Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1978 and entered into the private practice of law in El Paso immediately afterwards forming a partnership with Paul M. Douglass, who practiced with Justice Chew's father, and later joined by his sister Linda Yee Chew, and succeeded by another sister, Patricia B. Chew. He was board certified in Immigration and Nationality Law in 1985 and listed in the 1994/95 and 1995/96 The Best Lawyers in America. He was elected to and served one term as the West-Central City Representative to the El Paso City Council from 1989 to 1991. In 1994 General Election, he was elected to the Eighth District Court of Appeals and sworn in on January 1, 1995. Justice Chew is married to Mandy Chew and they have one son, Wellington Montgomery.
The staff of the Eighth District Court of Appeals, Texas.
Last update: Wednesday, October 03, 2001 .
Copyright 2000 Eighth Court of Appeals, State of Texas, El Paso.
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David Wellington Chew
LT. Chew teaching English to the crew
