Judge Profile - Peter Sakai
When Judge Peter Sakai’s grandparents immigrated to the United States from Japan, they could never have imagined all of the good he would accomplish. His grandparents were humble farmers when they left Japan. His maternal grandparents immigrated to South Texas
where they became one of the earliest Japanese families in the Rio Grande Valley and are featured in the Institute of Texan Cultures. His father’s family immigrated to join the farming community in the Imperial Valley in California. They were honest and hardworking citizens.
Peter’s father was a high school student in California during the outbreak of World War II. He and his entire family were victims of Executive Order 9066 authorizing Japanese Internment Camps. He often told Peter about his experiences growing up and going to high school in these camps. So many people wrongly lost their property, their businesses, and their homes because of this abhorrent violation of civil rights. The stories that he told Peter have compelled him to defend the Constitution and the Rule of Law–so that no one else would have to go through what his family, and so many other Asian Americans, had to endure. Driven by his family and his passion for justice, Judge Sakai graduated from the prestigious University of Texas with a bachelor’s degree in 1976 and a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 1979.
True to his character, Judge Sakai used his new law degree to serve others. He started as an Appellate Assistant D.A. in the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office where he quickly became a rising legal star. In 1983, he opened a successful law practice of his own, but he was drawn back to public service in 1995 when he was unanimously appointed by the civil court judges as the Associate Judge of the Children's Court. There, he created revolutionary new programs that protected children and put struggling families back together. Under Judge Sakai’s leadership, adoptions of foster children in Bexar County increased by 1000%. Encouraged by his colleagues at the courthouse, community leaders, and long-time supporters, he ran for the 225th State District Court and pulled off a resounding victory, becoming Judge of that bench.
During his judicial career, Judge Sakai has implemented cost-saving protocols, developed innovative programs, and brought together key stakeholders to find actionable solutions to the toughest problems. The Family Drug Court, Early Childhood Court, and the College Bound Docket are all proven examples of his visionary leadership. All these programs and initiatives have empowered parents and improved the justice system, with each of them becoming nationally recognized and awarded models across the United States. But despite the accolades, no one succeeds by themselves. Judge Sakai’s family has always encouraged and supported him to innovate and find bold solutions where others could not. His wife, Raquel “Rachel” Sakai is a true public servant in her own right. She was an educator, counselor, and administrator at Harlandale ISD for 32 years. After serving as the Director of the Gateway to College at Palo Alto College and working as a teacher/sponsor at Providence Catholic School, she has retired. Now, Rachel dedicates her time to family and her work with numerous boards, nonprofits, and charities. For her selfless community service, Rachel was inducted into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame, a 2022 recipient for Volunteerism. Together, Peter and Rachel have two kids, George, and Elizabeth, and are blessed with two wonderful grandchildren, Jackson, and Grayson. In 2021, Judge Sakai stepped down from his bench to run for County Judge. He was determined to share his experience and set a standard of civility, dignity and fiscal transparency to County Government. He vowed to work collaborative and improve the communication and collaboration by working together with his colleagues on Commissioners Court – the four County Commissioners. He ran to improve our economy stronger and more vibrant, bring our justice system back up to speed, and improve county residents' health and
safety. His expertise in both County Government and our Criminal Justice system made him the best person for the job.
On November 8th, Judge Sakai was successfully elected as our next County Judge! He is immensely proud and grateful to the people of Bexar County for giving him the opportunity to serve. Sworn in on January 1st, Judge Sakai has gotten straight to work for our community. He is already fighting to keep us safer, more connected, and more economically prosperous – making Bexar County the county of choice.
