Judge Hawthorn is a United States Magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Texas in the Beaumont and Lufkin Divisions. He was appointed in 2011. Prior to his appointment, he was a shareholder in Hawthorn & Hawthorn P.C. specializing in criminal defense. He is a graduate of the University of Texas School of Law and is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.