The 359th District Court is assigned criminal cases exclusively. Such cases include murder or other homicide, sexual assault, robbery, burglary, automobile theft, theft, drug sale or manufacture, drug possession, felony D.W.I., and other felonies. Term: Four (4) years
Michael is a graduate of Texas A&M University (B.S. Economics & Masters in Public Admin). He received his law degree from the University of Houston. He currently serves on the board of the Montgomery County Bar Association and the Montgomery Crime Control and Prevention District. Michael has always been focused on keeping Montgomery County safe and is the “law and order” candidate in this race.
Michael Ghutzman is Board Certified in Criminal Law and the Chief of the Major Crimes Section at the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office. On behalf of the citizens of the State of Texas, Michael has prosecuted over 4000 cases to disposition including violent crime, crimes against children, human trafficking, complex financial crimes, organized crime, narcotics cases, and money laundering.
The 359th District Court currently has over 1,000 pending cases while other District Courts handling felony criminal matters have around 700. Proactive case management is necessary to resolve cases reducing delays that burden victims and taxpayers while maintaining due process. This court needs a judge who has been, is, and will be 100% committed to criminal law. I am the right person for the job!
No more lengthy 90-day resets. I also plan to introduce a standby docket for non-violent, low level felony offenses to roll trial dates every two weeks until the case is disposed. Public safety is a 24/7/365 job. I have an exemplary track record of making myself available to officers that need assistance day or night. I plan to continue to be available to review search warrants when needed.
Public safety is paramount. I plan to rigorously enforce Texas laws against violent offenders and repeat criminals, while expanding access to rehabilitative programs like drug courts for non-violent cases. This balanced approach aims to lower recidivism and protect our community without compromising constitutional rights.
Faith, family, and community are central to my life. I am married, and proud my son and his wife are raising their children in Montgomery County. Through my volunteer work with local charities including Family Promise and Mo Co Cares, I was honored as a Woman of Distinction. I received the C. Chris Marshall Award for commitment to training prosecutors. I serve on the State Bar Ethics committee.
I have practiced criminal law for 23 years and been Board Certified for 12. I served as an Assistant DA, Chief Prosecutor, First Assistant DA, Interim DA and as defense counsel. I have tried 125 jury trials, handled tens of thousands of cases, defended law enforcement in civil cases, handled civil commitment of sexually violent predators, and serve as an adjunct professor at Baylor Law School.
Challenges are increasing caseloads from population growth, limited judicial resources, and case backlogs. With only four criminal district courts serving one of the fastest-growing counties in the nation, the challenge is managing cases efficiently while ensuring fairness, public safety, and constitutional protections. This can be addressed through case management and effective use of resources.
I would set firm trial schedules, actively manage cases, establish consistent weekly dockets for jail and bonded cases, and be available for warrants. I would work with court staff and counsel to use resources efficiently, reduce delays, and ensure cases are resolved fairly, promptly, and transparently. My experience on both sides of the courtroom has thoroughly prepared me to serve on this bench.
I will take every case seriously and treat everyone with fairness and respect. Having handled cases from traffic tickets to murder, I am prepared to resolve them efficiently, protect rights, and help keep Montgomery County’s crime rate—which is lower than Harris County’s—safe and that way for years to come. I will keep our community's confidence in our justice system solid.
