Amy Dianne Martin

The Honorable Amy D. Martin of Houston, Texas passed away on Sunday, September 7 at the age of 48. She was born in Charleston, South Carolina where she lived until the age of 3, when her family relocated to the Alief area of Houston, Texas.

Amy graduated from St. Agnes Academy and went on to attend Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Psychology and Sociology. She returned to Houston where she worked as a legal advocate for victims of domestic violence at the Montgomery County Women’s Center. She returned to school shortly after, attending the University of Texas School of Law in Austin, Texas, graduating with a Juris Doctor degree.

After being admitted to the Texas Bar, Amy entered the practice of law as a solo practitioner. She took a hiatus from private practice to serve as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Cheryl Johnson of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. After completing the clerkship, she returned to private practice in Houston, where she built a formidable criminal law practice. She would go on to work as trial counsel, mitigation specialist, and appellate attorney representing indigent defendants in capital cases.

In 2018 Amy won election to the bench of the 263rd District Court of Harris County, a criminal court hearing all felony criminal matters. During the course of her four-year term, she earned the respect of fellow jurists, attorneys, and court staff for her legal aptitude, friendly manner, and unfailing integrity. After serving her term, she returned to private practice for two years before joining the University of Houston Law Center as the Director of Student Advisement. Amy greatly enjoyed her work at UHLC until her sudden and untimely passing.

In her personal time, Amy loved spending time with her devoted husband Zack. Amy and Zack met on the first day of orientation at Wesleyan, becoming fast friends. They were married in a small ceremony in Saint Thomas, USVI, an occasion shared with close family and friends. Together they would go on to enjoy world travel to many far-flung locations. Amy was also a lover of animals and a devoted “dog mom” to a succession of good dogs.

Amy is preceded in death by her brother Jonathan and her father Logan, as well as her “soul dog” Frisco, cat Frida, and dogs Felony, Bear, and Huckleberry. She is survived by her husband Zack, mother Patricia Flynn, and dog Coco.

Family and friends are invited to attend a visitation at Earthman Southwest Funeral Home, 12555 S. Kirkwood, Stafford, Texas on Friday, September 12 from 4pm to 7pm.

Everyone is also invited to celebrate Amy’s life at her funeral service at Ashford United Methodist Church, 2201 S. Dairy Ashford, Houston, Texas on Saturday, September 13 at 10am.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Amy’s memory to Austin Bulldog Rescue www.austinbulldogrescue.com or your favorite local animal rescue organization.