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Upon leaving the house, Eckels began a twelve-year stint as the county judge of the most populous county in Texas. He succeeded the 20-year incumbent, [[Moderate Republican]] Jon Lindsay who was caught up in scandal did not run again for county judge. Lindsay and the senior Eckles had been colleagues and occasional rivals on the commissioners court. However, Lindsay supported the younger Eckels for county judge in 1994,<ref name=thesonalsorises/> when Eckels defeated the Democrat Vince Ryan (born c. 1947).<ref name=eckelsandryan>{{cite web|url=http://www.houstonpress.com/1994-09-29/news/son-of-lindsay-son-of-driscoll/|title=Tim Fleck, Son of Lindsay ... Son of Driscoll: Robert Eckels and Vince Ryan fight the battles of the past as they fight each other for county judge|date=September 29, 1994|publisher=''Houston Press''|accessdate=March 31, 2014}}</ref>

Upon leaving the house, Eckels began a twelve-year stint as the county judge of the most populous county in Texas. He succeeded the 20-year incumbent, [[Moderate Republican]] Jon Lindsay who was caught up in scandal did not run again for county judge. Lindsay and the senior Eckles had been colleagues and occasional rivals on the commissioners court. However, Lindsay supported the younger Eckels for county judge in 1994,<ref name=thesonalsorises/> when Eckels defeated the Democrat Vince Ryan (born c. 1947).<ref name=eckelsandryan>{{cite web|url=http://www.houstonpress.com/1994-09-29/news/son-of-lindsay-son-of-driscoll/|title=Tim Fleck, Son of Lindsay ... Son of Driscoll: Robert Eckels and Vince Ryan fight the battles of the past as they fight each other for county judge|date=September 29, 1994|publisher=''Houston Press''|accessdate=March 31, 2014}}</ref>

Lindsay himself rebounded politically to win election in 1996 to the District 7 seat in the  state Senate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Some-say-the-GOP-Sen-Jon-Lindsay-is-vulnerable-1625655.php|author=Kristen Mack|title=Some say the GOP Sen. Jon Lindsay is vulnerable|date=April 21, 2005|publisher=''The Houston Chronicle''|accessdate=March 31, 2014}}</ref>

Lindsay himself rebounded politically to win election in 1996 to the District 7 seat in the  state Senate.

As county judge, Eckels also chaired the Harris County Toll Road Authority, the only county-owned [[toll road]] system in the United States.<ref name=reckels>{{cite web|url=http://www.texascentral.com/about-texas-central/leadership/robert-eckels|title=America's Bullet Train: Texas Central Railway: Robert Eckels|publisher=texascentral.com|accessdate=March 31, 2014}}</ref>Judge Eckles received international recognition for the response by Harris County to [[Hurricane Katrina|Hurricanes Katrina]] and Rita. The Astrodome and Reliant Park became the largest shelter operation in American history, with more than 250,000 residents given refuge during the storm. In 2005, ''Esquire'' magazine' named Eckels the "Best and Brightest - Citizen of the Year" for his leadership during the storms: "When the City of [[New Orleans]] evacuated to Houston, Harris County Judge Robert Eckels was an island of competence in the face of catastrophe." The ''American City and County Magazine'' named Eckels "County Leader of the Year 2006."<ref name=reckels/>

As county judge, Eckels also chaired the Harris County Toll Road Authority, the only county-owned [[toll road]] system in the United States.<ref name=reckels>{{cite web|url=http://www.texascentral.com/about-texas-central/leadership/robert-eckels|title=America's Bullet Train: Texas Central Railway: Robert Eckels|publisher=texascentral.com|accessdate=March 31, 2014}}</ref>Judge Eckles received international recognition for the response by Harris County to [[Hurricane Katrina|Hurricanes Katrina]] and Rita. The Astrodome and Reliant Park became the largest shelter operation in American history, with more than 250,000 residents given refuge during the storm. In 2005, ''Esquire'' magazine' named Eckels the "Best and Brightest - Citizen of the Year" for his leadership during the storms: "When the City of [[New Orleans]] evacuated to Houston, Harris County Judge Robert Eckels was an island of competence in the face of catastrophe." The ''American City and County Magazine'' named Eckels "County Leader of the Year 2006."<ref name=reckels/>

In 2006, Eckels was actually elected to a fourth term as county judge but left some four months later to enter the private sector.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Harris-County-Judge-Eckels-may-resign-early-1650004.php|title=Harris County Judge Eckels may resign early, February 1, 2007|publisher=''Houston Chronicle''|accessdate=March 31, 2014}}</ref>Commissioners named transportation consultant and former state Representative [[Ed Emmett]] of Kingwood in northeast Houston to succeed Eckels as county judge.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cemetery.state.tx.us/pub/user_form.asp?step=1&pers_id=2690|title=Edward Martin Emmett|publisher=Texas State Cemetery|accessdate=March 31, 2014}}</ref>

In 2006, Eckels was actually elected to a fourth term as county judge but left some four months later to enter the private sector.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Harris-County-Judge-Eckels-may-resign-early-1650004.php|title=Harris County Judge Eckels may resign early, February 1, 2007|publisher=''Houston Chronicle''|accessdate=March 31, 2014}}</ref>Commissioners named transportation consultant and former state Representative [[Ed Emmett]] of Kingwood in northeast Houston to succeed Eckels as county judge.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cemetery.state.tx.us/pub/user_form.asp?step=1&pers_id=2690|title=Edward Martin Emmett|publisher=Texas State Cemetery|accessdate=March 31, 2014}}</ref>

Upon his death, Eckels will be interred at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.<ref name=statecemetery>{{cite web|url=http://www.cemetery.state.tx.us/pub/user_form.asp?step=1&pers_id=5630|title=Robert Allen Eckels|publisher=Texas State Cemetery|accessdate=January 16, 2021}}</ref>  

Upon his death, Eckels will be interred at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.<ref name=statecemetery>{{cite web|url=http://www.cemetery.state.tx.us/pub/user_form.asp?step=1&pers_id=5630|title=Robert Allen Eckels|publisher=Texas State Cemetery|accessdate=January 16, 2021}}</ref>

==References==

==References==