Judge, 363rd Judicial District

Are you an Incumbent *

I am running for an open seat

Have you been active in the Democratic Party prior to this election?*

Yes

If you answered yes, briefly explain your activism within the Democratic Party.

I have been a Democrat all of my adult life. I have been active with the party since about 2009 and have been a member of several democratic clubs in Dallas County. I have been a voter registrar in the past and have been active in encouraging people to go vote, on a personal level and through the party. I have also volunteered on campaigns. During my candidacy, I have sponsored events with the party and through democratic clubs. I have also purchased tickets for, and participated in, party events like the Fish Fry and Labor Day event.

Without mentioning your opponent(s) what makes you the best candidate for this position? *

In my 21 years as an attorney practicing criminal law, I have been a defense attorney and a prosecutor, giving me a well-rounded, 360-degree-view of the criminal justice system. I have also handled cases as a defense attorney and prosecutor on the appellate and post-conviction levels, giving me full knowledge of the legal system’s innerworkings from the beginning of a case to proceedings of "last resort" (being post-conviction writs of habeas corpus).  For the past 18 years, I have been in public service with the Dallas County District Attorney's Office. 

I have felony-level supervisory experience, having served in the District Attorney's Office's Administrative Team since 2017 - helping guide policy decisions and supervising a team of attorneys, investigators, interns and support staff at the DA’s Office. In addition, I managed my own docket. This experience is important to run an efficient and effective courtroom because the judge must manage its staff as well as the docket, make critical decisions, and navigate different personalities to get work done. 

I have also written, obtained and managed grant funding for the CIU and DNA testing for our cases. These budgets ranged in the millions of dollars, starting in 2019. This experience is beneficial for this particular court because it has a DWI Specialty Court, which can utilize grant funding for sustainability and additional treatment options for participants.

Additionally, I bring the unique experience of being a non-traditional prosecutor at the DA’s Office, deconstructing and reconstructing cases through a neutral lens, to determine whether the conviction is sound or whether it was plagued with any legal and constitutional violations. This is helpful experience because I had to set my advocacy skills aside and review cases from a neutral perspective - not trying to get the conviction upheld or reversed - but rather to find the truth and ensure justice is done. I have been tasked to investigate and litigate these cases before the trial courts and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals – the highest criminal court in Texas. This experience would allow me to spot issues, know the way to remedy the issues at the trial court level, and most importantly, prevent these issues from happening during trial. 

Further, I have been a local, statewide, and national speaker at various conferences and seminars, to educate criminal justice stakeholders on the topics of wrongful conviction, actual innocence, and ethics. I also participate in legislative criminal justice reform efforts in Texas, as well as assist other states across the country in their legislative reform efforts, to improve our country’s legal system. Further, I am uniquely well-versed in the areas of emerging challenges of scientific evidence in criminal cases – imperative for a judge to be informed about, as scientific evidence is increasingly often relied upon by parties in criminal cases.

Have you received any endorsements for your campaign?*

Yes

No

If yes, list your current endorsements.

Dallas Morning News; Stonewall Democrats; White Rock Lake Highlands Democrats; Preston Hollow Democrats; Texas Organizing Project; 23rd Senatorial District Tejano Democrats; North Texas Asian Democrats; Dallas County Young Democrats; Mexican American Bar Association - Dallas; Commissioner Elba Garcia; Commissioner Andy Sommerman; Commissioner John Wiley Price; Senator Royce West; Hon. Pauline Medrano

Are you seeking endorsement from the Dallas County East Democrats PAC?*

Yes