I don't get around to blogging much anymore, but several people have asked me this week to publish a comprehensive list of who all is running in the 2026 Election for positions in the CJC. Here's my best shot at a comprehensive list, based on the information available from the Harris County Republican and Democratic Party websites. Please let me know if there are any errors.
Except in some extreme circumstances, I'm not making commentary on the races right now. I'll write something about the contested primaries as they get closer.
NOTE: I'm not sure if the term "incumbent" technically applies to a candidate who is appointed to a bench or not, so I use the notation of "(I)" to refer to the candidate currently occupying the bench.
180th DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Allison Jackson-Mathis & Stephanie Morales. Allison and Stephanie are both criminal defense attorneys who practice in Harris County.
- REPUBLICAN-Judge Tami Pierce (I). Judge Pierce was appointed to the bench by Governor Abbott when Judge DaSean Jones stepped down to enter private practice.
182nd DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Danny Lacayo (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Brent Haynes. I'm not familiar with Brent Haynes, but the State Bar website indicates that he is an Assistant District Attorney in Galveston County.
183rd DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Katie Wilson & Julia Maldonado. Katie Wilson is a former-prosecutor and currently works for the Harris County Public Defenders' Office. Julia Maldonado is formerly a family court judge who does not practice criminal law to my knowledge.
- REPUBLICAN-Lance Long (I). Judge Long was appointed to the bench by Governor Abbott following previous Judge Kristin Guiney's election to the Court of Appeals.
184th DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Katherine Thomas (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Heather Hudson. Heather is a Harris County Assistant District Attorney in the Appellate Division.
185th DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Andrea Beall (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Mark Goldberg. Mark is a Harris County Assistant District Attorney assigned to RIC Court. Readers of this blog know that I am not a fan of his.
208th DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Beverly Armstrong (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Stephen Driver. Stephen is a Harris County Assistant District Attorney assigned to the Grand Jury Division.
209th DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Brian Warren (I) & Robert Johnson & Ysidra "Sissy" Kyles. This race is kind of a wild one because Judge Warren (who is a very well-liked and respected judge by both prosecutors and defense attorneys) has not one, but two challengers in the Democratic Primary. Robert Johnson is the former judge of the 177th District Court, where he was wildly unpopular with anyone who had the misfortune of being in his court. He was unkind, rude, and not very well-versed on the law. I'm not familiar with Sissy Kyles, but I believe she is a criminal defense attorney.
- REPUBLICAN-Tony Coveny. I've never heard of this attorney before. His website lists him as a "food poisoning attorney." No idea why he would want to be a criminal court judge, but I will save his number for the next time I visit Chipotle.
228th DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Alyson Almaguer. Aly is a Harris County Assistant District Attorney who is a Felony District Court Chief.
- REPUBLICAN-Judge Caroline Dozier (I). Judge Dozier was appointed to the bench by Governor Abbott following the death of Judge Frank Aguilar.
230th DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Chris Morton (I).
- REPUBLICAN-Megan Long. Megan is a Harris County Assistant District Attorney who is a Felony District Court Chief.
232nd DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Josh Hill (I) &Roderick Deon Rodgers. Similar to the unexpected primary challenge taking place in the 209th, popular incumbent Judge Josh Hill is facing a challenge from Fort Bend County prosecutor Roderick Rodgers. Rodgers is the husband of wildly unpopular former-338th District Court Judge Ramona Franklin (more on her later).
- REPUBLICAN-Chuck Silverman. As I noted in this earlier blog post, Chuck has reinvented himself more than Madonna. He's a former-civil lawyer, former-judge, and former-Republican. He just really really wants be a judge somewhere. Anywhere. Previous affiliations don't matter.
248th DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Hilary Unger (I)
- REPUBLICAN-David Overhuls. David is a former prosecutor and current defense attorney who bears a startling resemblance to John Denver.
262nd DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Lori Gray (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Nathan Moss. Nathan is a Harris County Assistant District Attorney who is a Division Chief in the Homicide Bureau.
263rd DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Melissa Morris (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Jason Campo. Jason is a Harris County Assistant District Attorney who is a Felony Chief in the Homicide Bureau.
482nd DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Veronica Nelson (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Bryan Honeycutt. Bryan is Harris County Assistant District Attorney who is a Felony District Court Chief.
495th DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Tiffany Hill. Tiffany is a Criminal Defense Attorney and former Associate Judge.
- REPUBLICAN-Judge Lori DeAngelo (I). Judge DeAngelo was appointed to the bench of this newly-created court by Governor Abbott.
496th DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-Michael Abner & Ramona Franklin. Michael is a very well-liked and respected Harris County Assistant District Attorney currently serving as a Felony District Court Chief. Ramona Franklin is the former Judge of the 338th District Court, who was defeated in her own primary in 2024. She was a terrible judge who was known for erratic behavior such as prohibiting lawyers from entering court to stand with their clients during Covid, as well as forbidding entry to the media. After losing her bench, a bizarre hoax telephone campaign started promoting her for a Federal Bench, but that's a story for another day. Like Robert Johnson, she is an ousted judge that nobody wants to see back on the bench.
- REPUBLICAN-Judge Dan Simons (I). Judge Simons was appointed to the bench of this newly-created court by Governor Abbott.
497th DISTRICT COURT
- DEMOCRAT-BreAnna Schwartz. BreAnna is a former Harris County prosecutor and a current Criminal Defense Attorney.
- REPUBLICAN-Judge Peyton Peebles (I). Judge Peebles was appointed to the bench of this newly-created court by Governor Abbott.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 1
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Alex Salgado (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Erin Swanson. Erin is a former Harris County prosecutor.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 2 (NOTE: Judge Paula Goodhart is not seeking re-election)
- DEMOCRAT-Matthew Ruben Perez. Matt is a criminal defense attorney.
- REPUBLICAN-Matt Alford. Matt is a former-prosecutor and a current criminal defense attorney.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 3
- DEMOCRAT-Carlos Aguayo & Anna Eady. Both Carlos and Anna are criminal defense attorneys.
- REPUBLICAN-Judge Leslie Johnson (I)
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 4
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Shannon Baldwin (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Rebecca Phillips Aceto. Rebecca is a former Harris County prosecutor and a current defense attorney.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 5
- DEMOCRAT-Judge David Fleischer (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Stella Stevens. Stella is a former Montgomery County prosecutor and a current defense attorney.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 6
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Kelley Andrews (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Josh Normand. Josh is a Harris County Assistant District Attorney who is a Felony Two.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 7
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Andrew Wright (I) & Jorge Garcia Diaz & Rustin Foroutan. Judge Andrew Wright is seeking his third term as judge of CCL # 7. Jorge Garcia Diaz is an Assistant Public Defender in Harris County. Rustin Foroutan is an Assistant Public Defender in Fort Bend.
- REPUBLICAN-Adam Brodrick. Adam is an Assistant Harris County District Attorney who is a Felony District Court Chief. He is a noted Mormon and arguably the most cheerful person in the courthouse.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 8
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Erika Ramirez.
- REPUBLICAN-Victor Flores. Victor is an Assistant Harris County District Attorney.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 9
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Toria Finch (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Xavier Alfaro. Xavier is a former Harris County and Fort Bend prosecutor.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 10
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Juanita Jackson (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Boa Hoang. I am not familiar with Mr. Hoang, but the State Bar website indicates that he practices criminal and personal injury law.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 11
- DEMOCRAT- Judge Sedrick Walker (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Liz Buss. Liz is an Assistant Harris County District Attorney who is a Felony District Court Chief.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 12
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Ashley Mayes Guice (I). Judge Guice was appointed by the Harris County Commissioners' Court to fill the vacancy of Judge Genesis Draper, who left the bench to lead the Harris County Public Defenders' Office.
- REPUBLICAN-Anna Emmons. Anna is a career prosecutor, having served as an Assistant District Attorney in Harris, Montgomery, and (currently) Liberty County.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 13
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Raul Rodriguez (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Amber Cox. Amber is an Assistant Harris County District Attorney.
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 14
- DEMOCRAT-James Hu & Yahaira Quezada. James is an Assistant Harris County County District Attorney. Yahaira practices family and criminal and is currently an Associate Family Court Judge.
- REPUBLICAN-Judge Jessica Padilla (I)
COUNTY COURT AT LAW # 15
- DEMOCRAT-Judge Tonya Jones (I)
- REPUBLICAN-Stephen St. Martin. Stephen is a former Assistant Harris County District Attorney and a current defense attorney.
That covers all of the criminal court benches in the CJC. There are contested races in all of the Juvenile Benches, which handles both criminal and family court related issues. I know only one of the candidates over there and that is 315th District Court Judge Leah Shapiro, who is a genuinely awesome human being and judge who is running for re-election.
As noted above, I will write about the contested primaries as we get closer to them.
