Amber Givens
Democratic · TX
Amber Givens is a former assistant district attorney who served as judge of the 282nd District Court in Dallas County from 2015 to 2025. She backs diversion programs to keep people out of prison and monthly community justice councils that review cases.
Where Amber Givens stands, based on their records
Supports
Public Safety and Crime Control (3 records), Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties (3 records), Civil Rights (1 record)
Track record
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 3 support
Voted for $908,412 in state aid for juvenile-justice staffing, including training, family engagement and legal positions. It passed 8-0.
May 20, 2024Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: dallascounty.civicweb.net
Created a 10-month court program pairing people on felony probation with community mentors and support to help them finish probation.
September 26, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: wordinblack.com
Voted for an agreement coordinating continuing care for trafficking victims and young people identified as high-risk victims. It passed unanimously.
August 27, 2018Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: dallascounty.org
Track record — Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties · 3 support
Held hearings that exposed missing police evidence in the Nina Marano murder case. A visiting judge later removed her from the case without stating a reason.
March 31, 2023Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: dallasnews.com
Advocated for an adopted court-appointment rule excluding attorneys whose words or conduct promoted hate groups or showed bias against protected groups.
September 30, 2022Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: dallasweekly.com
Created a 10-month court program pairing people on felony probation with community mentors and support to help them finish probation.
September 26, 2022Supports Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties
Source: wordinblack.com
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 1 support
Advocated for an adopted court-appointment rule excluding attorneys whose words or conduct promoted hate groups or showed bias against protected groups.
September 30, 2022Supports Civil Rights
Source: dallasweekly.com
Track record — General
General · 13 records
Won dismissal of two judicial reprimands and two admonitions. A review court found the conduct commission failed to prove every charge.
July 16, 2026
Source: scjc.texas.gov
Challenged Dallas County’s exclusion of her from the $25,000 judicial pay supplement in court. Commissioners restored the supplement on October 7, 2025.
October 7, 2025
Source: dallasnews.com
Set nearly 100 criminal cases for jury trial on one day. Most ended in pleas, dismissals or delays before that day; three remained by the afternoon.
April 1, 2024
Source: wfaa.com
Objected to a juvenile staffing and salary study proposed at a board retreat. Argued that the request exceeded the board’s authority.
June 10, 2023
Source: governing.com
Sought court permission to investigate possible defamation claims against a defense lawyers’ group and a primary opponent. The court dismissed her petition.
July 19, 2022
Source: abajournal.com
Allowed evidence of Sherin Mathews’s earlier injuries at Wesley Mathews’s trial. Barred evidence about his other daughter’s parental-rights termination.
June 11, 2019
Source: nbcdfw.com
Presented Pipeline to Possibilities with three other Dallas judges to students from four middle schools. The program encouraged positive decisions.
February 22, 2018
Source: thehub.dallasisd.org
Voted for the juvenile department’s fiscal 2018 budget after discussion of a $3.1 million reduction and 48 eliminated staff positions. It passed unanimously.
July 24, 2017
Source: dallascounty.org
Seconded and voted for a $27,122.17 nursing agreement for the juvenile alternative school. It expanded coverage from 195 to 224 days and passed unanimously.
July 24, 2017
Source: dallascounty.org
Seconded and voted for the county charter school’s fiscal 2018 budget, including a 2% staff pay increase. It passed unanimously.
July 24, 2017
Source: dallascounty.org
Asked for earlier notice of serious incidents involving detained youth. Cited concern about legal immunity and learning of incidents through news reports.
July 24, 2017
Source: dallascounty.org
Went door to door in Oak Cliff to promote court-system education meetings she created as a Dallas district judge.
September 28, 2016
Source: fox4news.com
Seconded and voted for $149,600 in additional county charter-school funding for staff, summer school, textbooks and computer hardware. It passed unanimously.
April 25, 2016
Source: dallascounty.org
Past race Amber Givens ran in:
- Criminal District Attorney · November 3, 2026 · Dallas County, Texas