Gov. Abbott apoints new Angelina County judge

ANGELINA COUNTY, Texas (KETK)– A Lufkin city attorney was appointed on Monday by Gov. Greg Abbott as the new judge of the 217th Judicial District Court in Angelina County

Kristi Skillern will be entering the position, replacing Judge Robert Inselmann, who recently announced his retirement after serving as the 17th District Court judge since 2015.

Skillern enters the position after winning the Republican Primary runoff this past May against Stephen Walker and will begin her tenure once Inselmann’s officially concludes at the end of 2026.
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Prior to becoming a city attorney, Skillern served as in-house counsel for State Farm Insurance and as defense counsel for Stradley & Wright and Smith and Knott PC. Skillern also holds a law degree from St. Mary’s School of Law and is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the American Bar Association.

Outside of her judicial career, Skillern is an active member of the Lufkin community, serving as a volunteer for the Salvation Army and the First Baptist Church of Lufkin.