District courts are trial courts of general jurisdiction of Texas. They have original jurisdiction in felony criminal cases, divorce cases, cases involving title to land, election contest cases, civil matters in which the amount of money or damages involved is $200 or more, and any matters in which jurisdiction is not placed in another trial court. The courts may specialize in civil, criminal, juvenile, or family law matters. Four-year term.
The saying goes, "You can get things done perfect, done fast, and done cheap, but you can't get all three." I believe the victims, defendants, and community do deserve all three. As Judge, I'll promote these goals by stepping back and letting the advocates do their jobs: argue, investigate, and try their cases. This takes an incredible amount of trust, tempered with accountability.
My ability to balance trust and accountability comes from my ten years as a prosecutor. I've tried almost twenty murders, so I know the legal issues and timelines critical for our toughest cases. I've supervised over a dozen young attorneys, which required setting clear expectations and trusting they would rise to the occasion. They each rewarded that trust.
There are lots of people who only pass through the criminal court once. Their bond has to be balanced with our want to keep them working, productive, and part of society. In those instances, we see many kids in school and early in their careers charged with non-violent felonies.
As a Judge, I have to trust many of these individuals will not re-offend, will come to Court when ordered, and will follow common-sense bond conditions like curfews, drug testing, and GPS monitors.
On the other hand, a certain number of defendants pose a high risk to re-offend or skip court. As a Judge, I can and will keep repeat, violent offenders in custody to protect victims. I'll be prepared to deny bail where appropriate and get them speedy, fair trials.
I started a backlog reduction program designed specifically to resolve older cases while maintaining fairness and due process. When I assumed office, the Court had a total docket of 1,402 cases, including 74 trial cases, 35 cases that were over 800 days old, and 332 defendants in custody. As of July 2026, the court has 412 pending cases, cases over 800 days old declined to only 3. The active trial docket decreased from 74 to 30 cases, while the number of defendants in custody was reduced to 160. The 482nd is now the third-lowest pending docket among all Criminal Courts. In addition, the 482nd District Court conducted more than 60 jury trials, 2nd most than any other criminal district court during my tenure. We work hard to ensure justice.
Bail requires an individualized assessment based on law. First-time nonviolent cases, I evaluate if financial bail is needed, the amount of bail, or if non-financial conditions can assure public safety and a person’s appearance. In many cases, people have stable employment, and strong community ties that greatly reduce risk of flight or reoffending. Repeat offenders’ history may show an increased risk. Bond violations or failures to appear, convictions for violent offenses, or a pattern of criminal conduct are added factors considered. If necessary, higher bonds or restrictive conditions may be justified when supported by the facts and by law. Electronic monitoring, no-contact orders, mental health treatment are all possible conditions.
