The 2026 Harris County Misdemeanor Court Races

The Harris County Court Benches are way down on the ballot, but hopefully voters will take the time to actually educate themselves and make informed decisions on these races, as well.  Just like with the District Court races, there are great candidates on both sides of the political divide.  

Harris County Court at Law # 1 - Incumbent Judge Alex Salgado (D) vs. Erin Swanson (R) - I have only appeared in front of Judge Alex Salgado on a handful of occasions, and I do not know him personally.  That being said, my experiences in front of him were extremely positive and he has an excellent reputation for being a great judge.  He is well liked and respected by both prosecutors and defense attorneys.

I've known Erin Swanson since before she even went to law school, although I don't know her very well.  She is very nice and I like her, but I am a little concerned with her campaign message of being "tough on crime," especially in a misdemeanor court that deals with less serious cases. I think the role of the judge is to be more focused on being fair rather than being tough.

Harris County Court at Law # 2 - Matt Alford (R) vs. Matthew Ruben Perez (D) - with the retirement of Judge Paula Goodhart, this is the only truly open criminal bench on the ballot in Harris County this year.

I've known Matt Alford since I started in Harris County in 1999.  I believe he was a prosecutor in his early career, but he's been a defense attorney as long as I have known him.  I like Matt a lot and he has an outstanding reputation as an excellent defense attorney.  I think his time as a defense attorney bodes well for him being a fair judge.  The Houston Chronicle pointed out that Matt supports overturning the O'Donnell decision, which I don't agree with, but I believe that issue has recently been shut down, so I don't know how much it would play into his time as a judge.

I don't really know Matthew Perez, so I don't have much insight into his qualifications.  He has less experience than Alford, but that can be said about most lawyers, including myself!  He did receive the Chronicle endorsement.

Harris County Court at Law # 3 - Incumbent Judge Leslie Johnson (R) vs. Carlos Aguayo (D) - I have had very limited experience with Judge Johnson during her time on the Bench, and I don't know her very well.  I can say that those times I have been in her court have been uneventful.  I read the Chronicle write up on her race and I have to say I was unaware that she once revoked a Defendant's General Order Bond without (EDIT) the Defendant having a lawyer the Defendant waiving his right to a hearing, which is hugely concerning. I can also say that those defense attorneys I know that have more familiarity with her court are not big fans.

I have known Carlos Aguayo since he was a young prosecutor and although I don't know him very well, I do like him.  I think what he said in his interview with the Chronicle was impressive and a good indicator that he would be a good judge.  

Harris County Court at Law # 4 - Incumbent Judge Shannon Baldwin (D) vs. Rebecca Philips Aceto (R) - here is a tough one, because I'm friends with both candidates.  I've appeared in front of Judge Baldwin on several occasions during her tenure on the Bench, and I think very highly of her.  She is a great judge who rules fairly and knows the law.

Rebecca Philips Aceto is an old friend who I met when we were both Baby Prosecutors in Juvenile back in 1999.  She is one of my favorite people to stop and talk to when I see her.  She has had an interesting career, having done some separate stints at the D.A.'s Office and doing some private practice in between.  She is certainly qualified to be a judge.

Harris County Court at Law # 5 - Incumbent Judge David Fleischer (D) vs. Stella Stevens (R) - here is another race where I have two friends running against each other.

I became friends with Judge Fleischer in the years before he first ran for the Bench, and I think extremely highly of him.  I think he is smart, compassionate, and fair.  I think he's a good judge.  He has courted some controversy over the past couple of years, however, because of issues arising over the airing of court proceedings on the internet, and specifically YouTube.  I have mixed feelings about airing court proceedings.  For the most part, I think it is important that people learn more about what court is really like.  I'm a big fan of making that information available to the public because 1) it is interesting; and 2) there is a real value to people having a better understanding of what we do every day.  But there are also obvious downsides to it, as well.  The internet is forever, unfortunately, and there is a lot of gray area when it comes to scrubbing a courtroom interaction off when a person accused might have gotten an expunction or a non-disclosure.  There has been an increase in judges who televise their courtroom proceedings, but some are putting them on YouTube channels - including Judge Fleischer.  That's where I start to become a little more concerned.  I think showing our court proceedings should be treated as educational, not as entertainment.  I also recognize that there is a strong argument to be made that it is a public forum with or without being livestreamed.  Like I said, I have very mixed emotions about it.

What I don't have mixed emotions about is Judge Fleischer, however.  I think he's a great judge and I believe he genuinely cares about the people in front of him.

Judge Fleischer's Republican challenger holds the distinction of being the person I have known longer than anyone else on this list (and the District Court list, as well!). Stella Stevens and I went to law school at UH together and we were in the same section (shout out to the notorious Section B!). After law school, Stella went on to become a prosecutor in Montgomery County, where she served for many years before leaving for private practice.  She also has been my oldest son's employer the past couple of years through her work with the Blue Marlins Swim Team.  I actually never had a professional interaction with her during her time in MoCo, but I have no doubt that she is more than qualified to be a judge.  She is a veteran of Section B, after all.

Harris County Court at Law # 6 - Incumbent Judge Kelley Andrews (D) vs. Josh Normand (R) - long before Judge Kelley Andrews became a judge, she was one of my favorite people.  She still is one of my favorite people.  She's just a judge now.  Judge Andrews is one of those people who is bitingly funny in a way that comes from being extremely smart and extremely down-to-earth.  She has a fantastic sense of humor that is not always common in the judiciary.  She is a very compassionate judge who works with the defendants suffering from mental health issues, and she can be counted on to do the right thing in all instances.  She is a very popular and well-respected judge.

Josh Normand is a prosecutor with HCDA that I have dealt with on a few occasions, but I don't know him particularly well.  He seems like a nice guy.  The Houston Chronicle noted that he didn't seem to have any direct issues with Judge Andrews, nor should he.  She's awesome.  

Harris County Court at Law # 7 - Incumbent Judge Andrew Wright (D) vs. Adam Brodrick (R) - there is probably no bigger personality difference between candidates than my two friends, Judge Andrew Wright and his challenger, prosecutor Adam Brodrick.  If they were part of the Seven Dwarves crew, Judge Wright would definitely be Grumpy and Adam would be Happy.  Adam is always happy.  

I have said before and I stand by it that Judge Wright is a good judge.  He is smart and he works hard.  He has compassion for the people before him.  He has no reservations about holding the State to its burden of proof.  One of the things that he did early on was hold the State in contempt for failing to turn over discovery in a timely manner, and I always admired him for taking that stand.  It was brave and you don't see that often.  The knock against Judge Wright is that he is not always just a Ray of Sunshine on the Bench.  He gets frustrated with foolishness and he wears it on his sleeve.  It has been a minute since I've had a case in his court, but he used to have some fairly rigid policies and deadlines that weren't common in other courts.  But all in all, I still think he is a great judge.  

On the flip side of that is Adam Brodrick.  I've known Adam for a long time now, and I can honestly say I am not sure that I know a more positive and outgoing human being.  He cracks me up and I truly enjoy talking to him.  Adam is a career prosecutor and I think he does a good job.  I will say that he has dug his heels in on some cases that didn't really seem to merit it, and he has been reluctant to dismiss some cases where I thought he should.  But he was always super friendly even when we were disagreeing!

Harris County Court at Law # 8 - Incumbent Judge Erika Ramirez (D) vs. Victor Flores (R) - I have known Judge Erika Ramirez since she was a new prosecutor, and I have always enjoyed dealing with her in that role and as a judge.  I think that she has done a good job on the Bench and I believe her to be passionate about improving the Criminal Justice System in Harris County.  She 100% has my vote.

I am not familiar with her challenger, Victor Flores, but I believe he is an Assistant District Attorney in the Appellate Divison.  I was somewhat confused/bemused to read in the Chronicle write up of their race that his criticism of Judge Ramirez centered around her accepting a plea bargain on a case that his own office had made.  It seems to me that if he was concerned about the plea offer made, he should have spoken to his co-workers rather than blame the judge that honored an agreement they had made. 

Harris County Court at Law # 9 - Incumbent Judge Toria Finch (D) vs. Xavier Alfaro (R) - the race for Court Nine has two very well-liked candidates running against each other.  Judge Toria Finch has done a great job on the Bench during her tenure as Judge.  I have had a few cases in her court, and have found her court to be well run, and I believe her to be a kind and compassionate judge.  She has a very positive and encouraging outlook towards the people that come before her, which I think is a very good thing in misdemeanor court.

I have known her opponent, Xavier "X-Man" Alfaro since his days as a prosecutor in Harris County many moons ago.  He left Harris County for a job as a Misdemeanor Division Chief in Fort Bend.  He's now a defense attorney and it is good to see him more regularly in Harris County again.  I dealt with Xavier in both Harris County and Fort Bend and I cannot say enough good things about him.  He is ethical, fair and compassionate.  He would also make a great judge.

Harris County Court at Law # 10 - Incumbent Judge Juanita Jackson (D) vs. Bao Hoang (R) - the perpetually youthful and vibrant Judge Juanita Jackson has been a great judge during her time on the Bench.  I have had several cases in front of her over the past few years and it is always a great court to work in.  Judge Jackson is an exceedingly kind judge whose years of experience as a defense attorney shine in the empathy she shows to people going through rough times in her court.  She has an extremely positive outlook towards people who are struggling and she genuinely wants them to succeed in the battles that they have with whatever demons they are facing.  I greatly admire her work with Veterans Court and think she should keep up the great work.

I literally have no idea who her opponent is.  I've never heard of him and I don't recognize his picture.  This seems strange to me.  Maybe he's a food poisoning lawyer or something.

Harris County Court at Law # 11 - Incumbent Judge Sedrick Walker (D) vs. Liz Buss (R) - I have had only a couple of cases in front of Judge Sedrick Walker since he first took the Bench.  I knew him when he was a prosecutor but I only had a case or two with him back in those days.  That being said, I think he's doing a great job as judge.  Although I have not gone to trial in front of him, I can say that I believe he runs a very efficient docket and he was actively involved in all of the cases on his docket.  He wanted routine updates on where older cases stood but had no issue with granting a reset on cases that needed more time for information gathering.   I also dealt with Judge Walker when I was President of HCCLA, and always found him to be engaged and open minded when we approached him on our issues.  

I have known Liz Buss for a long time.  She's a career prosecutor, and I have nothing negative to say about her.  I haven't dealt with her on too many cases, but I didn't have any complaints about her when I dealt with her.  She is doubtlessly qualified to be a judge as well.

Harris County Court at Law # 12 - Incumbent Judge Ashley Mayes Guice (D) vs. Anna Emmons (R) - I was very happy when I learned that Harris County Commissioners Court appointed Judge Ashley Guice to fill the unexpired term of Judge Genesis Draper, when Judge Draper was appointed Harris County Public Defender.  I was a big fan of Judge Guice during her previous term as Judge, and I had noted that I hoped to see her run for the Bench again.  I have not had an opportunity to appear before her during this go-round yet, but my opinion of her remains very high based on my experiences with her from her previous tenure as Judge.  Judge Guice is simply a very even-keeled, levelheaded, smart and kind judge to appear in front of.  I think she does a great job.

I have known Anna Emmons since she was a Baby Prosecutor in Harris County twenty-five years ago and consider her a personal friend and a very good prosecutor.  I have nothing negative to say about her at all, but I will say that it is hard to imagine her as anything other than a prosecutor since she's been doing it so long.  She is currently the 1st Assistant in Liberty County, where I visit from time to time, and it is always good to see her and catch up.  I think very highly of Anna and she is definitely a well-qualified candidate to be a judge.

Harris County Court at Law # 13 - Incumbent Judge Raul Rodriguez (D) vs. Amber Cox (R) - Judge Raul Rodriguez is arguably the most popular judge on a County Court Bench and with good reason.  He is a very kind man who runs a very efficient and pleasant court.  He knows the law and administers it fairly to all who come before him.  Although it has been a while since I have appeared in his court, I'm always happy to see him out and about.  He's a good man and an excellent judge.

I have nothing negative to say about his opponent, prosecutor Amber Cox.  I have dealt with Amber on a handful of occasions in her role as a prosecutor and have always found her to be ethical and good to work with.  She has been a prosecutor for a long time and I have no doubt that she would make a good judge, as well, but in this particular race, my vote has to go to Judge Rodriguez.

Harris County Court at Law # 14 - Incumbent Judge Jessica Padilla (R) vs. Yahaira Quezada (D) - in the interest of full disclosure, I have known Judge Jessica Padilla for decades and I was one of her first chiefs when she started with the Office way back when, and I consider her a friend who I always enjoy seeing.  I do not personally know her opponent, Associate Family Court Judge Yahaira Quezada.  

For the first few years of Judge Padilla's term, I never had any cases in her court.  Over the past year, I've had a few, and it was good to spend time in her court.  Both cases ended up getting dismissed without having to get Judge Padilla involved, although I did approach a few times to let her know what was going on with the case.  Judge Padilla is a well-liked judge who I believe is doing a great job as judge.  She is kind and compassionate and I believe she embodies the idea of being a true public servant.  Obviously, this is all attributable to her having a fantastic chief when she was a young prosecutor.

Judge Quezada seems like she is a well-qualified candidate who does have criminal law experience, although it seems that her primary area of practice is in Family Court, where she serves.  I am curious as to why she chose to run for a bench in the Criminal Courthouse rather than one that handles Family Law matters, but other than that, I don't have anything negative to say about her.

Harris County Court at Law # 15 - Incumbent Judge Tonya Jones (D) vs. Stephen St. Martin (R) - speaking of Chiefs, my former chief from the olden days, Stephen St. Martin is challenging incumbent Tonya Jones for County Court at Law # 15.  Again, in the interest of fairness, I have to disclose that Stephen is someone I consider to be a good friend, although we are politically VERY different.  He was my chief in the 174th District Court over twenty years ago, so I have known him for a very long time.  He is licensed in both Texas and Louisiana and I routinely send any client looking for a lawyer in Louisiana to him.  In addition to being a former prosecutor, he's also a former police officer.  He is doubtlessly well-qualified to be a judge.

I supported Judge Tonya Jones when she previously ran against Roger Bridgwater for election, but I have not had any dealings with her directly on the Bench.  She is always very friendly when I see her out and about, but I don't have a personal basis to tell you what she is like in her professional capacity.  I have not heard many (if any) complaints about her, so that is a good sign!

The 2026 Harris County District Court Races

Early Voting for the 2026 General Election starts tomorrow (Monday, October 19th), and continues through October 30th, with Election Day on November 3rd.  With the hotly contested Senate Race between Republican Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico, I think everyone expects a very large turnout in Harris County and Texas, in general.  Although straight-ticket voting hasn't been a thing for quite a while now, I anticipate that a majority of the voters will vote for only members of their party, which is always a shame.

My amateur prediction is that the large turnout, coupled with Ken Paxton's nasty reputation, will mean good things for the Democrats in Harris County.   Generally, that makes me happy, because there are a lot of excellent Democratic Judges on the Bench or running as candidates.  There are also some absolute disasters.  The same applies for the Republicans, who hold a significant number of Benches through appointments by the governor.  Most of them are doing fantastic jobs, regardless of your political perspectives.  Many of the Republican candidates are good ones, as well.

I know that there are people on both sides of the political aisle who have vowed never to vote for the other side.  I strongly urge you to get over that line of thinking.

Having two qualified candidates running for the same Bench is a gift to the general public, but it gives me ulcers.  Many races have two people I consider friends running against each other.  So, in those instances, I'm going to tell you what I think about both candidates but I'm probably not going to tell you who I'm voting for unless one candidate is actually a bad one.

So, with that, let's jump in.

180th District Court -- Incumbent Judge Tami Pierce (R) vs. Stephanie Morales (D) - Judge Tami Pierce was appointed to the 180th District Court after Judge Desean Jones stepped down to enter private practice.  Prior to Judge Jones' resignation, she was embroiled in a lawsuit contesting the earlier election against him.  I wasn't a fan of that lawsuit because I think it set a bad precedent, and it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  I don't have any personal experience in front of Judge Pierce, but I have heard things that concern me.  Defense attorneys have told me that Judge Pierce seems to have difficulty in hiding her preference for the prosecution and even made a sua sponte objection to a defense attorney's voir dire questions.  That's extremely concerning.

Judge Pierce's opponent is Stephanie Morales, who I am friends with, although I don't know her very well.  The main criticism against her is that she lacks felony experience.  That does not overly concern me because she has experience as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney who has done work in misdemeanor court, where the law and the rules of criminal procedure are the same as they are in felony court for all intents and purposes.  I would rather have a Judge who needs to build on her experience than one who is exhibiting a preference for the prosecution in front of the jury.

182nd District Court -- Incumbent Judge Danny Lacayo (D) vs. Brent Haynes (R)-so, this isn't even a real contest.  Judge Danny Lacayo is a favorite at the CJC for both prosecutors and defense attorneys.  He runs a great court, staffed with great people (even with a lovably surly court coordinator).  Judge Lacayo focuses his rulings on doing what is just, and he does an excellent job of it.  He is no pushover, either.  He has no reservations about dressing down a dangerous defendant with no regard for the law or public safety, and sentencing him to significant pen time.  But he also strives to reach young people who still have a chance of turning their lives around and give them opportunities to redeem themselves that not all Judges would. In all instances, he will hear every bit of evidence that both parties want to put forward before making his decision.  He is a Judge who will make tough calls without being afraid of the political fallout.  We need more Judges like him.

Brent Haynes is someone that I am completely unfamiliar with. He is a prosecutor in Galveston County, and I only practice there on occasion.  He did not meet with the Houston Chronicle's editorial board when they were doing their endorsements, which indicates to me that he either 1) isn't taking his run for Judge very seriously, or 2) doesn't want to go on the record with his judicial agenda.  Whatever his reasoning may be, the choice is clear in this particular race.  Judge Lacayo should keep on making a difference in the 182nd District Court.

183rd District Court -- Incumbent Judge Lance Long (R) vs. Julia Maldonado (D)-for over twenty years, I've considered Judge Lance Long to be one of the smartest, if not the smartest guy I know.  We worked together at the District Attorney's Office, and I sat second chair with him on the one and only death penalty case I ever prosecuted.  He knows the law and he has extremely high standards for those who appear before him.  He is a career prosecutor who has never been on the defense side of things, but he follows the law without an agenda.  He will call balls and strikes without bias and he expects the prosecution to live up to its duty to prove every case beyond a reasonable doubt.  He is highly respected by both sides of the Bar, and he is compassionate on cases and defendants that deserve it.  He deserves to continue on.

Julia Maldonado is a former Family Court Judge who lost her Bench a few years back.  She used to practice criminal law before going to Family Court, and I remember dealing with her when I was a younger prosecutor.  I never had any issues with her back in those days, and I haven't seen her since then.  However, her reputation is not a good one.  Every attorney that I know who practices Family Law has nothing kind to say about her time on the Bench, with specific criticisms toward her judicial temperament. I am not a fan of candidates for criminal Benches who don't devote their career or practice to criminal law, and Maldonado doesn't have the track record to be a District Court Judge on a criminal Bench.  

This is a race where Democratic-leaning voters should cross party lines and vote for the far better candidate:  Judge Lance Long.

184th District Court -- Incumbent Judge Katherine Thomas (D) vs. Heather Hudson (R)-as I posted when Judge Thomas first ran for Judge, I was a huge fan of her work as a prosecutor.  Four years ago, I pointed out that I thought she was a fair and intelligent prosecutor who would make a great Judge.  I'm happy to report that I was correct in that assessment.  Over the past four years, I've appeared in front of Judge Thomas on many occasions and she has been fair and thoughtful on all matters before her.  She runs a high trial court, which means she is working hard to get cases tried that need to be tried.  She also is extremely well-versed in the law and handles tricky legal issues with ease.  She is doing a great job and should keep on doing so.

I don't know Heather Hudson personally.  She is an appellate prosecutor for the Harris County District Attorney's Office and is doubtlessly qualified to be a Judge.  I have nothing negative to say about her.  In a different contest, I would consider voting for her.  But in this race, Judge Thomas has had an excellent first term and deserves to have many more.

185th District Court -- Incumbent Judge Andrea Beall (D) vs. Mark Goldberg (R) -- this one is easy.  Judge Andy Beall has done a tremendous job during her first term on the Bench.  She has garnered the highest approval rating of all the Judges, and managed an efficient and fair court.  She is no-nonsense on the Bench, and is considered to be extremely fair.  She has demonstrated a neutral and fair demeanor throughout, even when called upon to preside over the case of Attorney General Ken Paxton.  That's not always easy for long-term Judges, let alone those in their first term, but she has demonstrated that she is an outstanding Judge with great integrity in difficult situations.

Her opponent is the polar opposite.  Mark Goldberg is a former Kim Ogg loyalist whose reputation within the District Attorney's Office is largely comical.  He was a political hire by his old friend, Kimbra, and his career thus far has been notable for his ability to tell lies on her behalf.  Several years ago, I tried a case against Mark and he struck an African-American potential juror from jury service without reason.  When I called him out with a Batson challenge, he lied to the Judge misrepresented what the juror had said while on the record.  You can read more about that here.  It was disgraceful and unnecessary.  He also didn't understand the law and the evidence on the case long before we got to that point.  Mark Goldberg should never be a Judge.  Vote for Andy Beall.

208th District Court -- Incumbent Judge Beverly Armstrong (D) vs. Stephen Driver (R) --I did not know Judge Beverly Armstrong prior to her taking the Bench almost four years ago, but I've had several cases in front of her since then.  All of my interactions have been extremely positive.  I have found her to be friendly and professional, and she pays very close attention to the matters before her.  Although she is a former career prosecutor, I have found her to be very fair on all matters and she is not afraid to find No Probable Cause if the State doesn't have the evidence.  Her court is a very pleasant environment to work in, as well.

I don't have anything negative to say about Stephen Driver, who I have known since he was a Baby Prosecutor.  I like Stephen and I think he is a smart and qualified candidate.  I will say that I consider him to be a little inflexible on some of the cases I've handled with him, and that concerns me somewhat.

209th District Court -- Incumbent Judge Brian Warren (D) vs. Tony Coveny (R) -- From the files of "Wait.  What?", I have to say that having a self-proclaimed "food poisoning lawyer" running for a Felony District Court Bench is one of the stranger candidacies that I've ever seen.  It's almost as if the Harris County Republican Party decided that the only thing their candidate needed was a pulse and a law degree for this matchup.  The jokes about Tony Coveny's misguided run tend to write themselves, especially in light of the fact that he's running against one of the most highly regarded Judges in the courthouse.

While Coveny might have experience going after a dangerous sandwich, Judge Brian Warren has spent his years on the Bench presiding over Capital Murders and other serious crimes.  He has a background as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney that has served him well as a fair and neutral Judge who fully appreciates and respects the fact that his actions affect human lives.  He is respectful to all parties involved and he expects those who appear before him to perform to the best of their ability.  He knows the law and he applies it without favor toward either side.  He's done a great job on the Bench and should continue.

228th District Court -- Incumbent Judge Caroline Dozier (R) vs. Alyson Almaguer (D) -- this one is a tough one for me, because I think highly of both candidates running for the 228th.  Judge Caroline Dozier was my chief in the 228th when I was a prosecutor and Judge Ted Poe was on the Bench.  I truly enjoyed working with her and consider her to be a friend.  Although she's only been on the Bench for a relatively short amount of time, I have already had two trials in front of her and enjoyed the experiences.  

But I am also a big fan of Alyson Almaguer, who is a Chief Prosecutor in the 182nd that I work with frequently.  Alyson is a fantastic chief.  She has a great sense of humor and she is extremely reasonable to work with.  She will listen and consider everything that a defense attorney will bring her and will work diligently to make sure she is doing the right thing.  I think she would make a great Judge.

230th District Court -- Incumbent Judge Chris Morton (D) vs. Megan Long (R) -- this is a strange election because I had gotten so used to Judge Morton running against now-Court of Appeals Justice Brad Hart.  It is weird to see someone else running for the 230th.

I have to admit that I have some bias in this one, because Judge Morton is a family friend who I have known since he was a prosecutor.  Given his age, he is like an uncle to me.  Ever since I have known Judge Morton, he has been very passionate about the Criminal Justice System and diligent about making sure that it is a fair and balanced system.  He is extremely smart and is well-versed in case law and procedure.  He listens intently to all arguments made to him and he makes his rulings without any personal biases.  I was surprised to read that he has announced that this will be the last time he runs, because I didn't know he was that close to the mandatory retirement age for Judges.

Megan Long is a chief prosecutor in the Homicide Division.  I've known her for several years but I don't know her very well.  I currently have a Capital Murder case pending where she is the prosecutor, and she is great to work with.  She is certainly a qualified candidate, but I take issue with her criticizing Judge Morton for not setting bonds as high as the prosecution has requested.  The job of the Judge is not to be an arm of the prosecution.  I can also say that I've had Judge Morton set a bond at over $1 million on one of my cases in the past. 

232nd District Court -- Incumbent Judge Josh Hill (D) vs. Chuck Silverman (R) -- this one is a no-brainer.

Judge Josh Hill is easily one of the most popular and well-liked Judges in the CJC.  He is a wickedly smart Judge who is a self-described "nerd" when it comes to doing his own legal research, and I recently had the opportunity to try a murder case in front of him.  The experience was great.  He let us try our cases, and only interceded when we had legal issues that needed to be decided.  When those moments arose, he did an extremely thorough job of listening to our arguments and then doing his work to arrive at his rulings.  His daily docket is a relaxed atmosphere where he treats all those who come before him with compassion and respect.

I would cast my vote for Judge Hill regardless of who was running against him, because I believe him to be an excellent Judge.  However, his opponent in this race is Chuck Silverman, who is a particularly weak candidate that can't really decide what he stands for.  He just really, really wants to be Judge of something.  As I noted in this post a while back, Silverman was a civil attorney who couldn't win a civil Bench.  He ran as a Democrat in 2018 for the 183rd District Court and won, only to lose in his own primary in 2022.  He was extremely bitter about that, and decided to switch parties to run again this year.  He's expressed a desire to stop spending money on indigent defense and spend it on victims.  Not exactly sure that's a good position for a Judge who is supposed to give those accused the presumption of innocence.  He shouldn't be considered a serious candidate.

248th District Court -- Incumbent Judge Hilary Unger (D) vs. David Overhuls (R) -- this one is a tough one for me because I like both candidates very much.

I didn't know Judge Unger very well before she took the Bench, but I have had the opportunity to work with her on some projects during my time as President of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers' Association, and I also had the opportunity to try a murder case in front of her earlier this year.  Before that, I tried a court trial to her on an Injury to a Child case.  I think that she is an outstanding Judge.  She cares very deeply about the Criminal Justice System and devotes a tremendous amount of time to working on policies and procedures to ensure fairness.  She has intense focus on every matter that comes before her, whether it's a bond condition or a decision on guilt/innocence.  She is sometimes criticized for taking too long on these matters, but I actually appreciate the attention to detail she provides.  I have the utmost respect for the job she has done on the Bench.

David Overhuls is a personal friend of mine who I have known since his time as a prosecutor.  I think David is a great guy and would make a great Judge.  He has experience as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney and I think that he would have the right perspective for being a fair Judge. He was a good prosecutor and he is currently an excellent defense attorney. I can fully understand why the Chronicle gave David their endorsement, although I have to say that I thought some of their criticisms of Judge Unger were unfair.

As I noted above, having two good candidates in a race is a win for the voters, but it makes writing these recommendations tough for me.

262nd District Court -- Incumbent Judge Lori Chambers Gray (D) vs. Nathan Moss (R) -- I have not had much experience with Judge Gray during her time on the Bench.  She seems like a very nice lady, but I really don't know that much about her as far as being in trial or making routine appearances in her court.  I don't have anything negative to say about her, but I don't know enough about her to say anything particularly positive about her either.  She's just kind of there.

By contrast, I've known Nathan Moss since he was a Baby Prosecutor during my last year or so with the D.A.'s Office.  He's a Division Chief now, and an extremely experienced prosecutor.  We are family friends and were even on the same trivia team there for a while.  I don't always agree with Nathan, but I do like him and he is extremely smart.  I am not surprised that he received the Chronicle's endorsement, but I have some concerns about his ability to be a neutral jurist.  The last time he ran for Judge, his slogan was "Less Bail, More Jail" or something to that effect, and that is worrisome to those of us on the defense side of things.  I have no doubt that he has a plan for making the 262nd more efficient and would do a good job of implementing it if elected.

263rd District Court -- Incumbent Judge Melissa Morris (D) vs. Jason Campo (R) -- when Judge Morris first ran for the 263rd four years ago, I made the comment on the blog that I only knew her in passing.  Once she was elected, she jokingly told me she was going to correct that situation now that she was on the Bench, and I'm happy to say that she has honored that promise.  I have had the opportunity to work with Judge Morris on several projects during my time as President of HCCLA, and I've also tried a very serious case in front of her.  I can honestly say I've become a huge fan of hers.

Since taking the Bench, Judge Morris has demonstrated that she has high expectations for all of those who appear in front of her.  She was greatly dismayed by appointed attorneys that she felt were overbilling the system while taking on too many clients and not being effective advocates.  She has worked tirelessly to modify the appointment system in a way that ensured quality representation for those who take appointments, while also being very realistic about what would work and what would not.  She truly cares about the System as a whole and is doing everything in her power to make it reputable and fair.  When I was President of HCCLA, it was not unusual at all for me to receive calls from her after hours and on weekends, seeking input on what could be done to improve things, and I cannot express how much that was appreciated.

My experience in trying a case in front of her was also a positive one, despite the fact that the trial did not turn out as I would have hoped.  Judge Morris was thoughtful and considerate on all rulings.  Some went my way, but plenty of others did not.  She decided punishment on the case and her sentence was definitely higher than what I had asked/hoped for, but I cannot dispute that it was one based on her full evaluation of the facts before her.  In short, Judge Morris is a damn good Judge.

Her opponent, Jason Campo, is a felony District Court chief who I have gotten to know over the past year.  I think he's a great guy and an extremely reasonable prosecutor.  I have worked with him on several Capital Murder cases and am currently working with him on a very serious Aggravated Robbery.  He is ethical, diligent and knowledgeable on his cases.  I would gladly vote for him in any other race.

482nd District Court -- Incumbent Judge Veronica Nelson (D) vs. Bryan Honeycutt (R) - anyone who knows me at all or has a passing knowledge of what is going on at the CJC knows that I am a super fan of Judge Veronica Nelson.  We became friends when we tried an ultra exciting counterfeiting case against each other years ago, and I was very excited when she told me she was considering running for Judge four years ago.  I was honored to speak at her Investiture and I remain honored to call her my friend.  Last year, she presided over the Gerald Goines trial, which was the very definition of a media circus.  She handled it like a pro who had been on the Bench for decades.  This was not a surprise to any of us who know her.  

Judge Nelson has distinguished herself as a great Judge on the Bench, while also having high standards for fairness in the System.  She is an excellent Judge.

I have nothing negative to say about her opponent, Bryan Honeycutt.  He and I recently resolved a murder case together, and I give him high marks for being fair and compassionate on a complicated case.  We collaborated for many hours on it, and I sincerely appreciated the way he treated my client and the wishes of the victim's family.  He is a very smart guy and a good lawyer, but my vote will always go to Judge Nelson, regardless of who is running against her.

486th District Court -- Incumbent Judge Vanessa Velasquez (R) vs. Katie Wilson (D) -- Judge Vanessa Velasquez is one of my favorite people on Earth.  I have been friends with her since we were both prosecutors twenty-five years ago, and she is someone I will always have the utmost respect and admiration for as a Judge.  She was a fantastic Judge in the 183rd District Court for many years before losing the Bench in a Democratic sweep.  She was a tough but fair prosecutor with an excellent reputation that continued on during her time as a Judge.  When she was appointed to fill the 486th Bench earlier this year, prosecutors and defense attorneys were both very excited to have her back.  She is an excellent Judge who does not play favorites.  She's also one of the most impressive people I have ever met in my life.

I have nothing negative at all to say about Katie Wilson, but I don't know her very well.  I voted for her in the Democratic primary for the 183rd over Julia Maldonado, and I was glad to see her get the Democratic nomination for the 486th.  I think she has an impressive resume as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney and I like the platform she expressed on the campaign trail.  If she were running for a different Bench, I would gladly vote for her.

495th District Court -- Incumbent Judge Lori Deangelo (R) vs. Tiffany Hill (D) - Judge Lori Deangelo and I have been friends since we worked together at the District Attorney's Office many moons ago.  I believe that she is a good Judge although I have had very limited interactions with her since she took the Bench.  She has experience as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney and I believe she has received largely positive reviews during her time on the Bench.

I know Tiffany Hill but not very well.  She was an associate Judge for a time before the position was scrapped, and I have never heard anything negative about her.  I just don't have a tremendous amount of information about her to share, unfortunately.

496th District Court -- Incumbent Judge Dan Simons (R) vs. Ramona Franklin (D) - ever since I started this blog in 2008, I have made it a point to always own up to whatever I have written on the blog.  I don't delete things I've written, even when my opinion later changes.  I try to maintain some intellectual honesty in what I write here.  So, if you had told me in 2024 that I would be writing a post this year in support of Dan Simons for Judge, I would probably not have believed you.  Although I never had a personal problem with Judge Simons, I obviously was a big supporter of Sean Teare for District Attorney.  I was vocal in my support of Teare and vocal in my criticisms of then-D.A. candidate Simons.  

So, while acknowledging that I have previously written things that were negative, I have to say that Judge Dan Simons has been a very pleasant surprise as Judge of the 496th District Court.  And I don't just say that because he is running against the absolute worst candidate running for a Bench in the CJC.  Judge Simons has impressed both the prosecution and the defense bar in his management of the 496th.  He is a hard-working Judge who goes to trial frequently.  He treats everyone before him with kindness and respect (even mouthy bloggers who have previously written negative things about him).  He is willing to think outside the box on managing tricky cases, and he has generally won rave reviews for the job he is doing as a Judge.  Judge Simons has done such a good job on the Bench that there is a group calling itself "Democrats for Dan" supporting him.  I'm proud to say that I'm one of them.

His opponent, Ramona Franklin, is, quite simply, terrible.  She has been the subject of articles on this blog and in the Houston Chronicle for her absolutely bizarre behavior that was antithetical to everything a Judge should be.  From barring defense attorneys from standing with their clients in court to prohibiting the media's attendance in court to excusing a lawyer's failure to file a promised appeal on a client to randomly raising bonds on and taking people into custody without rhyme or reason, she was a terrible Judge during her time in the 338th and will doubtlessly be terrible were she to return.  For more information, please read this Houston Chronicle article by Nicole Hensley from earlier this year.  That doesn't even address a bizarre whisper campaign that falsely claimed she was up for a Federal Bench.

Judge Dan Simons would deserve your vote for the good job he has done during his time on the Bench, but given who his opponent is, this race is an easy choice.

497th District Court -- Incumbent Judge Peyton Peebles (R) vs. Breeana Schwartz (D) - earlier this month, I had a PSI hearing scheduled in front of Judge Peyton Peebles on a very serious case.  As I was headed out the door for court, my wife wished me good luck and said, "I hope the Judge does what you want."  I replied to her, "I don't know if he'll do what I want, but I do know he will do the right thing."

I've known Judge Peyton Peebles for closing in on thirty years, and I don't think I can say enough good things about him.  From our early years as prosecutors together, I always considered him the smartest guy in the room (with the possible exception of Judge Lance Long).  Even though we are roughly the same age, he always seemed to carry a maturity and wisdom that exceeded the norm for young prosecutors.  He was level-headed and smart.  He was funny and he was kind.  He worked largely in the Appellate Division during his time at the District Attorney's Office, and he was someone that would always help me with any question I ever had.  When he left the District Attorney's Office for private practice, there was no doubt that he would be great on the defense side of things and, of course, he was.  Judge Peebles is great at everything he does.  He has the perfect demeanor for being a Judge and he will always do what is right.

I don't know much about his opponent, Breeana Schwartz, because I only know her in passing.  I've heard very nice things about her and have no doubt that she is a qualified candidate.  But Judge Peebles was born to be exactly where he is, and he will get my vote.

315th Juvenile District Court -- Incumbent Judge Leah Shapiro (D) vs. Maria Brock (R) -- although I don't work in juvenile court except on the rarest of occasions, I would be remiss if I did not give an enthusiastic recommendation for Judge Leah Shapiro.  Judge Shapiro is one of my favorite people to sit back and discuss issues facing the Harris County Criminal Justice System for both adults and juveniles.  I don't know her opponent, but I know that Judge Shapiro is a great Judge who deserves to be reelected.

Guest Poster: The Civil Benches

For quite a few years now, I have routinely asked a friend of mine who practices civil law for his recommendations on the Civil Benches in Harris County.  I consider my friend to be a pretty smart guy and I tend to agree with him on political issues.  He's always happy to give me his opinions, and I got his permission to share these views (on the condition of anonymity).  It's always insightful to hear his thoughts on the benches I'm unfamiliar with.  

I do think it should be said that these recommendations are from the perspective a career insurance defense lawyer, although Democrats who don’t know me think I’m a Republican because of my job, and Republicans think I’m going to hell as a woke liberal.  One of them is correct, I won’t say which.  

Appellate Benches:  The yellow dog in me will not let me recommend any of the Republican candidates.  But I cannot recommend any of the Democrats, either.  In my experience Democrats on the civil appellate benches are there on a mission to turn the tables against insurance companies and corporations no matter what the law or the facts are.  Some of them expressly so.  I do not want any of them interpreting the law.  They barely follow it when they’re supposed to.  

Republican Primary:  All benches have only one choice.  

Democratic Primary:

As usual, some of the worst judges in the county did not draw a primary opponent.  The Harris County Democratic Party is absolutely leaderless.  The challengers in these races have some of the lowest case counts I have seen for lawyers since Judge Barnstone in County Civil Court at Law No. 1, who was removed from the bench by the Commission on Judicial Conduct for his absolute incompetence.  On those grounds alone they have no business being in charge of some of the busiest courts in the country.  

157th:  Tanya Garrison.  She is Plaintiff-oriented, but she knows the law and if you show her that you do too, she is likely to follow it.  She tries cases efficiently and will mostly let the lawyers try their case once she has ruled on the evidence.  She is one of the group of Democrats who, when elected years ago, the defense bar thought was the end of fairness in Harris County courts.  I’m not sure if she’s changed or the bar has sunk so low with other more recent elections, but she is viewed as more moderate lately.  I will say that she has made some hard calls in my favor, including dismissing cases on motions where other judges would not have done the same.  Her opponent appears to be a family and criminal lawyer, likely meaning she just hung up a shingle at one point and likely knows little about civil work.  She might be more qualified, if at all, for a criminal or family bench.  I have never heard of her or seen her at the courthouse.  A search of the district clerk’s records shows she has only 20 active cases, the majority of which are criminal, followed by family law cases.  She has only one active county court at law case.  I cannot imagine she can keep up with the administration of thousands of cases as a judge.  Garrison is in the inaugural class of judges who are board certified in judicial administration.  

270th:  Dedra Davis  This is a hot take for an insurance defense lawyer.  I am the only civil defense lawyer I know that would prefer her over her opponent, who on paper is surely qualified but is running on the basis of “I’m not her.”  Several sitting Democrat judges have criticized me for backing Davis, and that should tell you enough—her own party is trying to get rid of her.  But more often than not she follows the law and she makes tough decisions that other judges will not.  She rules on the spot, and will get on her zoom link to help you get hearings set and move your case.  She reads everything.  And she has dismissed cases for me when they should have been dismissed where few other judges would likely have done the same.  Her court is a zoo sometimes.  She has a bad reputation.  Some of that is self-inflicted, but mostly it’s because she also rules against plaintiffs and she is more fair than well over half the judges down there.  I believe she still has the most jury trials in the county over the last four years, and if not, she’s near the top.  I did not like her zoom trials (she can no longer do them after the covid orders expired), but she moves her docket.  Her opponent has exactly six active cases according to the district clerk and none (ever) at the county level.  Two criminal, three car wrecks (plaintiff) and one divorce.  I think they’re dragging him out of retirement just to run, having thrown all manner of opponents against Davis in the past.  On paper he looks good.  He is simply an unknown, whereas I know that Davis will move her cases and make hard choices.  

281st:  Christine Weems.  But only for lack of options.  Weems is incredibly biased and in trial she argues with me more than plaintiff’s lawyers do.  She fights me on every point, often sua sponte, and I believe she often ignores the law.  But her opponent, another candidate running with no experience or qualifications, would do the same and is less qualified.  At least Weems knows she ignores the law and if you corner her she will sometimes reluctantly do what she is supposed to do.  Her opponent shows exactly 10 active cases in district courts and one in county court.  Most are car wrecks; some may be ad litem appointments for minor settlements.  

Court at Law No. 2:  Jim Kovach.  I believe Kovach also favors plaintiffs based on his idea of justice, but he is overwhelmingly honest and goes well out of his way to make sure everyone is heard.  I think he is overall very fair, tries to follow the law, and he has dismissed cases for me as well.  He made me do extra work to get there, but he did it.  His opponent appears to be a family lawyer.  She has 15 active cases at the district court level, and every one of them is a family law case.  She does not now, and evidently has not ever, had a case in the county courts at law.  Yet she is running for a county court at law bench?

Court at Law No. 3:  Lashawn Williams.  Williams tries to get things right.  She has an idea of justice that may differ from mine, but she has gotten better in recent years about following the law.  I like her as a person, more than a judge.  I also believe she is one of the main organizers behind how many women of color are running for benches—and overall that is a good thing.  Her opponent has been licensed for just over three years, has had only two cases (neither currently active) in the county courts, and 56 active district court (or misdemeanor cases maintained by the district clerk) cases, which are overwhelmingly criminal and family.  Maybe she should run for a family bench when she has a few more years underneath her.  

County Attorney:  Lawton Evans.  Recently resigning from County Court at Law No. 1 to run for this post, I like her policies in general.  Evans is one of the most cordial people you will ever meet and turned county Court 1 around.  And it’s time for Abbie Kamin to go away.  

I don’t have opinions on the JPs.  

The 2026 Primary Recommendations

Tuesday, February 17th is the beginning of Early Voting in Texas for the March 3rd Primaries.

In the Republican Primary, there are not any judicial races that are contested at the District or County Courts, so there isn't much to write about there.  I will note that in the Texas Attorney General's Race that former-District Court Judge and current State Senator Joan Huffman is running against three other candidates.  I'm not a huge fan of Joan Huffman, but in a field where the other three candidates seem to be running on the platform of who can suck up to Donald Trump the most effectively rather actually following the job description of Attorney General, she seems to be the better choice.

There are not an overabundance of contested primaries on the Democratic side of things that affect the Harris County Criminal Justice Center world, but there are some extremely important ones that deserve your attention.  I have been very glad to see that a lot of my colleagues have already shared their recommendations on Facebook and other social media.  I hope that you will help spread the word on these recommendations, as well.  I also agree with the Houston Chronicle's recommendations in these races.

Those contested races are:

183rd District Court -- Katie Wilson vs. Julia Maldonado

As anyone who follows this blog knows, I'm a big fan of criminal benches being held by people with experience in the Criminal Justice World.  As far as I'm concerned, the more familiarity with criminal law one has, the more qualified they are.  In this instance, Julia Maldonado does have some familiarity with criminal law from earlier in her practice, but she's been away from it for quite some time.  Maldonado was actually a family court judge for quite some time and now her practice seems to focused on family law, as well.

By contrast, Katie Wilson is immersed in the practice of criminal law and always has been.  Her resume shows that she is a former prosecutor and has been practicing criminal defense for many years now.  Not only does her devotion to criminal law make her the more qualified candidate for this primary, the fact that she has worked as both a prosecutor and a defense attorney give her the balance that we hope to see on all criminal benches.  

Although I don't have anything negative to say about Julia Maldonado, the clear choice on this is Katie Wilson.

Recommendation:  Katie Wilson

209th District Court -- Judge Brian Warren (I) vs. Robert Johnson vs. Ysidra "Sissy" Kyles

There has been a lot of courthouse conversation about this particular race due to the fact that Incumbent Judge Brian Warren is so well-liked and respected by both prosecutors and defense attorneys that it defies logic that he would draw any opponents, let alone two of them.  Judge Warren has distinguished himself as a judge who calls balls and strikes with impartiality, compassion, and adherence to the law.  In a world where lawyers tend to gripe about judges, you don't hear criticisms of Judge Warren.  No one who practices in the CJC can articulate any reason why they wouldn't want to see him continuing as Judge of the 209th.

By contrast, his first challenger, Robert Johnson, was widely regarded as the second worst judge in the courthouse during his all-too-lengthy tenure as Judge of the 177th.  The actual worst judge was Ramona Franklin, but we will talk about her a little later,.  During his time on the bench, Robert Johnson was known for a lack of knowledge in the law, inconsistency in his rulings and policies, and a level of animosity towards those who came before him.  In short, he was a terror on the bench.  He had high turnover rates in his court staff and it was generally just an unpleasant place to be.  Most attorneys that I know who practice indigent defense, refused to take appointments in his court based on his terrible demeanor.  The fact that he feels the need to run for judge again after being rejected by the voters in the last election speaks only to his unmitigated arrogance.  He does not belong on the bench.

I do not know Sissy Kyles personally, but I do believe that she practices criminal defense.  I don't have anything negative to say about her.  My recommendation of Judge Brian Warren is based on the positive things I believe about him.  He's been great on the bench and I believe he will continue to be great on the bench.

Recommendation:  Judge Brian Warren

232nd District Court -- Judge Josh Hill (I) vs. Roderick Deon Rodgers

Like the race for the 209th, the fact that the 232nd is a contested primary is also confusing for those of us routinely practice in the criminal courts.  Judge Josh Hill is also a highly respected and well-liked judge that both sides of the courtroom feel very strongly about.  He is Board Certified in Criminal Law and does his own legal research on complex legal issues that come before him.  He is not afraid of making unpopular decisions if the law demands it, but he is also a kind and compassionate judge.  Those who practice in front of him enjoy being in his courtroom because they know that he works hard to make sure that the right and just outcome happens on all cases before him.

His challenger, Roderick Deon Rodgers, is a prosecutor from Fort Bend who is married to former judge Ramona Franklin.  Normally, I don't believe in guilt by association, but in this case, I will make an exception.  Although I'm going to discuss Ramona Franklin's candidacy here in a second, it is worth noting Rodgers' suspected involvement in the "Federal Judgeship Hoax" that went on following his wife's primary defeat in 2024.  For more on that, please read the Houston Chronicle's Nicole Hensley's outstanding article here.  If one were to give Mr. Rodgers the benefit of the doubt and presume he didn't have any role in that ridiculous scam, he still does not hold a candle (inside joke here) to Judge Josh Hill in terms of qualifications.

Recommendation:  Judge Josh Hill

496th District Court -- Michael Abner vs. Ramona Franklin

Perhaps the nicest thing that can be said about former 338th District Court Judge Ramona Franklin is that she makes Robert Johnson seem slightly less bad.  That's not really a complement to Robert Johnson as much as it is a testament to what a terrible judge Ramona Franklin was.  Again, I highly recommend that anyone who is even slightly on the fence about who to vote for in this race, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read Nicole Hensley's article.  I'll even post another link to it here, because it is so important.  You can also go back and read this post that I did on one of her many violations of Constitutional Rights during the pandemic.

Franklin's tenure during her time on the bench can best be described as "if you don't understand the Constitution, then screw over the accused."  Her rulings included such hits as preventing lawyers from being in court alongside their clients, banning media coverage in her court, raising bonds for no reason other than she felt like it for people already out on bond, and finding no harm in an attorney failing to do an appeal for a convicted client where the attorney had a duty to do so.  During the pandemic, there were rumors (never confirmed) that she wasn't even in the courthouse when presiding over docket (although she claimed to be Zooming in from her chambers).  Franklin and her husband have a side business of making candles.  They should both stick to that rather than being in charge of safety of the community and the rights of those who come before them.

By contrast, Franklin's opponent, Michael Abner is a very well-liked prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney's Office.  I have known Michael since he first started at the Office and have always found him to be a fair and honorable prosecutor.  He is compassionate when he is able to be on the cases that he has prosecuted and he has always been willing to patiently listen to and review any type of evidence or argument coming from the defense.  I believe that he would make a great judge regardless of who he was running against, but in this instance, recommending him is a No Brainer.

Recommendation:  Michael Abner

County Court at Law # 7 - Judge Andrew Wright (I) vs. Rustin Foroutan vs. Jorge Garcia Diaz

I found the write up in the Houston Chronicle endorsement of Judge Andrew Wright to be eerily similar to my feelings about this particular race.  Judge Wright is a friend of mine and he's a good person.  But the Chronicle indicated that they believe his personality is what caused him to draw two primary opponents in this race, and I kind of get where they are coming from.  Judge Wright has proven himself to be a very independent thinker on the bench and that is a positive quality.  Early on in his career, he held prosecutors in contempt for failing to turn over discovery in a timely manner which was a bold and long overdue move at the time.  But there have also been complaints over his rigidity in his policies that have seemed so unnecessary to many of us and he hasn't always been receptive to listening to arguments against those policies.  It makes me sad, because (1) he's my friend; and (2) because I know he has the intellect and intestinal fortitude to be better than that.

I don't know Mr. Foroutan personally and I only know Mr. Diaz in passing.  I have nothing negative to say about them at all.  I do still believe that Judge Wright is a compassionate and intelligent judge who does a good job and I will be voting for him (although he will probably be unhappy with me for this blog post).

Recommendation:  Andrew Wright

County Court at Law # 14 - James Hu vs. Yahaira Quezada

This is a strange one for me, because I literally do not know either candidate at all.  I read the Chronicle's endorsement of James Hu, who is a Harris County Assistant District Attorney and I found their reasoning solid.  But, I think Ms. Quezada's qualifications are also solid and her background is impressive.  

However, due to my lack of familiarity with both candidates, I don't feel comfortable making a recommendation on this race.  They both seem like good candidates.

315th District Court -- Judge Leah Shapiro (I) vs. Gloria Sanchez Glover

As I've noted before, I don't practice much Juvenile Law.  Quite frankly, the only candidate that I know in the Juvenile Justice World is Incumbent Judge Leah Shapiro.

But, I would vote for Judge Shapiro for any bench she chose to run for because she is so strongly qualified to be a judge.  I've known her since she was a young prosecutor at the District Attorney's Office and I have always admired her devotion to the pursuit of justice.  The few times I have had dealings with her on a professional level since she became a judge have been on Juvenile Certifications that ended up being my clients.  It has always amazed me that Judge Shapiro can recall everything about those cases when we have had the occasion to discuss them after they are long disposed of.  That's a strong indicator of how much Judge Shapiro cares about the cases she handles.  She is no nonsense and follows the law in a very tough arena.    

I don't know anything about her opposition, but I can't imagine anyone being better at the job than Judge Leah Shapiro.

Recommendation:  Judge Leah Shapiro

And finally . . . 

Harris County District Clerk:  Desiree Broadnax

My friend for over twenty years (and one of the best people I know), Desiree Broadnax is running in a very wide field for Harris County District Clerk.  When I was a prosecutor, Desiree ran the intake division like a champ.  She has the knowledge of the inner working of the District Clerk's Office and would be a great District Clerk.

Chief Justice, 14th Court of Appeals:  Sara Beth Landau

Former Justice Sarah Beth "Sorcha" Landau is running for this bench.  I don't do appellate work but I am familiar with rulings she made during her previous tenure on the Court of Appeals.  I recommend a vote for her.

Justice, 14th Court of Appeals - Place 7:  William Demond

Although I only know William Demond in passing, I am familiar with his work as an appellate attorney in the criminal law arena.  I believe that his qualifications will be very much put to good use and are needed at the 14th Court of Appeals.

So, that's a wrap on this year's primary recommendations.  Please feel free to share this list (or any other list that you agree with) with friends and family members.  I don't have to tell you that the general public has a lack of familiarity with what we do down at the CJC so the more people are informed, the better.

Whatever you do, just make sure to vote!

The 2026 Election Field

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.  

Other Early Criminal Court Filings for the 2026 Election

 While we are on the subject of judges and elections, there are some folks that have made some announcements (or have at least made a filing) that signal an intention to run for office in the 2026.  Here's who we have so far:

As mentioned in the last post, former-183rd District Court Judge Chuck Silverman has switched to the Republican Party and will be challenging incumbent Democrat Judge Josh Hill.

• Former Prosecutor and current Defense Attorney David Overhuls is running as a Republican for the 248th District Court against incumbent Democrat Judge Hillary Unger.
• Prosecutor Nathan Moss is running for the 262nd District Court as a Republican against incumbent Democrat Judge Lori Chambers-Gray.
• Defense Attorney Matt Alford has filed an Appointment of Treasurer to run for County Court at Law # 2.  I have been told that he is running as a Republican and that incumbent Judge Paula Goodhart is not running again.
• Defense Attorney Anna Eady has also filed an Appointment of Treasurer to run for County Court at Law # 2.
• Defense attorney Allison Mathis has filed an Appointment of Treasurer to run as a Democrat for County Court at Law # 3 against incumbent Judge Leslie Johnson.
• Former Prosecutor and current Defense Attorney Rebecca Philips Aceto has filed an Appointment of Treasurer to run for County Court at Law # 4 against incumbent Democrat Judge Shannon Baldwin.
• Harris County Prosecutor (and noted Mormon) Adam Brodrick has filed an Appointment of Treasurer to run for County Court at Law # 7 against incumbent Democrat Judge Andrew Wright.
• Harris County Prosecutor Liz Buss has filed an Appointment of Treasurer to run for County Court at Law # 11 against incumbent Democrat Judge Sedrick Walker.
• Harris County Prosecutor and former Judge Ashley Guice has filed an Appointment of Treasurer to run for County Court at Law # 12 (presumably as a Democrat).  NOTE:  This Court is about to come open as Judge Genesis Draper takes the position of Harris County Public Defender.  The County Commissioners will be appointing a replacement for Judge Draper who will most likely be a Democrat that will then run for the bench in 2026.  As of this writing, it is unclear who that person will be.
• Former Harris County Prosecutor and current Liberty County Prosecutor Anna Emmons has also filed an Appointment of Treasurer to run for County Court at Law # 12.  
• Former Prosecutor, Former Defense Attorney and current Family Court Associate Judge Yahaira Quezada has filed an Appointment of Treasurer to run for County Court at Law # 14 against incumbent Republican Judge Jessica Padilla.
• Current Prosecutor Michael Abner has also filed an Appointment of Treasurer to run as a Democrat for County Court at Law # 14.  
• Former Prosecutor and current Defense Attorney Stephen St. Martin has filed an Appointment of Treasurer to run (presumably as a Republican) for County Court at Law # 15 against incumbent Democrat Judge Tonya Jones.

That's all I have at the moment.  If I left anyone off the list, it was inadvertent and please feel free to correct me.