Tonya Parker
Democratic · TX · Judge, 116th District Court, Dallas County
Tonya Parker has been a Dallas County civil district judge since her 2010 election, after more than a decade as a trial lawyer in complex business and injury cases. She stresses fairness, preparation, and civility in court, and mentoring law students and young lawyers.
Where Tonya Parker stands, based on their records
Supports
Civil Rights (2 records)
Track record
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 2 support
Led a project that tested jury instructions about unconscious bias, including racial assumptions, in ten Dallas civil courts in late 2018. The project was reported on 2020-01-16.
January 16, 2020Supports Civil Rights
Source: dmagazine.com
Publicly opposed Texas's ban on same-sex marriage on 2012-02-21. She said she had stopped conducting weddings and referred couples to other judges.
February 21, 2012Supports Civil Rights
Source: dallasvoice.com
Track record — General
General · 7 records
Lost the 2024-11-05 general election for Place 13 on the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas to Emily Miskel, receiving 756,942 votes to Miskel's 761,488.
November 5, 2024
Source: ballotpedia.org
Ruled on 2020-12-28, after a trial without a jury, that Tyler McPhillips assaulted Kelsey Kribs. She ordered him to pay $1,911,471.80, including $1 million in punitive damages.
December 28, 2020
Source: austinchronicle.com
Performed a wedding for a same-sex couple in her courtroom on 2015-06-26, the day same-sex marriage became legal nationwide. Thirteen other Dallas judges watched from the jury box.
June 26, 2015
Source: dallasvoice.com
Was selected as president-elect of the Texas Association of District Judges, as reported on 2013-09-12. The statewide group represents trial judges.
September 12, 2013
Source: dallasvoice.com
Coauthored a 1998 law-review article with Timothy Davis about institutions' responsibility for student-athlete sexual violence against women. The journal repository published it online on 2011-10-31.
October 31, 2011
Source: scholarlycommons.law.wlu.edu
Presented a legal education session about inclusion and the history of unequal treatment under U.S. law on 2009-06-26. She spoke at the State Bar Paralegal Division's annual meeting.
June 26, 2009
Source: txpd.org
Helped create the Dallas Association of Young Lawyers' Dinner and Dialogue program in 2006. It brought lawyers and judges together to discuss opposing views on politics and religion, as reported on 2008-03-17.
March 17, 2008
Source: superlawyers.com
Track record — Impartiality
Impartiality · 1 favorable
Led a project that tested jury instructions about unconscious bias, including racial assumptions, in ten Dallas civil courts in late 2018. The project was reported on 2020-01-16.
January 16, 2020Favorable on Impartiality
Source: dmagazine.com
Track record — Legal Competence
Legal Competence · 3 favorable · 1 unfavorable
Granted Eagle Oil & Gas judgment without a trial in a Dallas dispute over oil-and-gas income. On 2021-03-19, the Texas Supreme Court upheld the reversal because Eagle had not proved its legal defenses. The case returned for further proceedings.
March 19, 2021Unfavorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Received 94% favorable ratings in the Dallas Bar Association's 2019 judicial evaluation poll, including 81% excellent ratings. The results were reported on 2019-10-07.
October 7, 2019Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: texaslawbook.net
Imposed an 18-month law-license suspension on Hugo Xavier De Los Santos, with 12 months on probation. A jury found he had failed to keep client funds separate from his own. The appeals court upheld the judgment on 2017-05-17.
May 17, 2017Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: law.justia.com
Dismissed Colin Shillinglaw's libel and related claims against Baylor regents and Pepper Hamilton on 2017-04-14. She barred refiling under the Texas Citizens' Participation Act. The appeals court upheld the dismissal and attorney-fee awards on 2018-06-21.
April 14, 2017Favorable on Legal Competence
Source: supremecourt.gov
Past race Tonya Parker ran in:
- District Judge, 116th Judicial District · November 3, 2026 · Dallas County, Texas · incumbent