Samuel Frederick Biery Jr.

Born in McAllen, Texas, Biery received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Lutheran College in 1970 and a Juris Doctor from the Dedman School of Law at Southern Methodist University in 1973. He was in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1970 to 1976, and was in private practice in San Antonio, Texas from 1973 to 1978. He was a judge on the County Court at law number two in Bexar County, Texas from 1979 to 1982. He was a judge on the 150th District Court, State of Texas from 1983 to 1988. He was a Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals, State of Texas from 1989 to 1994.

On November 19, 1993, Biery was nominated by President Bill Clinton to a new seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas created by 104 Stat. 5089. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 10, 1994, and received his commission on March 11, 1994. Biery was elevated to Chief Judge on June 1, 2010, his term as Chief Judge ended in late 2015. His court is in San Antonio. His April 29, 2013 ruling on 35 Bar and Grille LLC, et. al. v. The City of San Antonio reached press notoriety for its use of puns, sexual innuendo and double entendres.