WICHITA COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL) — A district court judge in Wichita County will be stepping away from the bench after his current term is up.

89th District Court Judge Charles Barnard will be retiring following the conclusion of his current four-year term, opting not to seek reelection.

Though no formal announcement has been made, several sources with the Wichita County Courthouse have confirmed Judge Barnard’s forthcoming retirement plans.

Judge Barnard has served as judge of the 89th District Court in Wichita County since 2015, when he was appointed to the seat by Gov. Greg Abbott following the death of Judge Mark Price, who was elected in 2004 and served until his death in February 2015.

Judge Barnard was reelected to a four-year term in 2016, and in 2020, he won his second reelection bid. Prior to his appointment to the 89th District Court, Judge Barnard maintained a private law practice in Wichita Falls.

Judge Barnard’s current term is set to expire at the end of 2024.

This is a developing story. Stick with Texoma’s Homepage for updates as more information becomes available.