Judge Rodney Gilstrap was nominated in 2011 to serve as United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas (EDTX) and was confirmed later that year. He served as Chief Judge of the Eastern District from 2018 to 2025. He resides in Marshall, Texas, and has judicial responsibilities in both the Marshall and Texarkana Divisions. Prior to assuming the bench, Judge Gilstrap was engaged in the private practice of law in East Texas. During this time, he also was elected three times as County Judge of Harrison County, Texas.

Judge Gilstrap holds a BA magna cum laude from Baylor University where he was elected to membership in Phi Beta Kappa. He also holds a JD from the Baylor University School of Law where he was an Associate Editor of the Baylor Law Review. Judge Gilstrap received an LLD degree from East Texas Baptist University in 2023.

He has served as President of the Baylor Law Alumni Association and in 2018 he was named the “Baylor Lawyer of the Year” — the highest recognition given by his law school. He was also selected as “Jurist of the Year” for 2018 by TEX- ABOTA (which comprises all 16 chapters of the American Board of Trial Advocates situated in Texas). In 2023, he was recognized with the Outstanding Public Service Award from The New York Intellectual Property Lawyers Association. In 2024, he completed serving as a member of the board of directors of the American Inns of Court.

In his free time, Judge Gilstrap is a hobbyist beekeeper who enjoys travel and all things Baylor.