Dallas County District Attorney-elect Amber Givens says the six-year legal battle over judicial misconduct allegations has fundamentally shaped how she will approach her new role as the county’s top prosecutor, emphasizing fairness, accountability, and the responsibility that comes with the power to accuse.
Speaking publicly Thursday, Givens reflected on the personal toll of the prolonged disciplinary proceedings after a special three-judge court cleared her of all misconduct allegations brought by the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct.
“For six years, this wasn’t an abstract legal proceeding for me,” Givens said in a prepared statement, Fox 4 KDFW reported. “It affected my family. It affected my reputation. It affected my ability to do the work I love.”
She said the experience reinforced her belief that government officials must exercise their authority with humility and integrity.
As she prepares to take office in January, Givens said those lessons will guide her leadership of the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office.
“Strong institutions do not fear scrutiny; they welcome it because accountability builds public confidence, and that confidence is earned, not assumed,” she said, per Fox 4. “These are not just lessons from my personal experience. They are principles that strengthen public confidence in every institution that serves the people.”
In a separate interview with CBS News Texas, Givens said the ordeal gave her a new perspective on the criminal justice system and the impact allegations can have on someone’s life.
“To be the person accused of something gives you a whole different perspective,” she said. “It showed me how horrible it is when a system is used as a weapon against people.”
Givens also said she harbors no resentment toward attorneys who testified against her during the proceedings.
“Not bitter at all. Definitely grateful because at some point God has showed me that he was allowing it to happen because there was purpose in it,” she said, per CBS.
She added that she plans to enter the district attorney’s office without grudges.
“No baggage ever,” Givens said. “Everything is grounded in gratitude.”
Court Overturned Judicial Reprimands
Givens’ remarks come one week after a Special Court of Review appointed by the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court dismissed every public reprimand and admonition previously issued against her by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.
The three-judge panel conducted a trial de novo, meaning it reconsidered the evidence independently rather than reviewing the commission’s findings for procedural errors.
In its July ruling, the court concluded that the commission “failed to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, each and every charge alleged in the charging document” and dismissed all disciplinary sanctions against Givens, WFAA reported.
The allegations stemmed from Givens’ tenure as judge of Dallas County’s 282nd Judicial District Court. They included claims that she allowed her court coordinator to conduct a 2021 Zoom bond hearing in her place without informing participants. The commission also alleged she exceeded her judicial authority in several matters and cited concerns about courtroom conduct and judicial temperament.
After hearing testimony from 14 witnesses and reviewing extensive documentary and video evidence during a two-day trial earlier this year, the Special Court of Review found the commission had not met the legal burden required to sustain any of the allegations.
The opinion acknowledged that Givens had become “a polarizing individual” but also cited shortcomings in the county’s court management software during the COVID-19 era, as well as inconsistencies in witness testimony, in concluding that the evidence did not support the disciplinary findings.
The court’s decision removed all public reprimands and admonitions from Givens’ record.
Set To Become Dallas County District Attorney
Givens resigned from the bench in December 2025 to challenge incumbent District Attorney John Creuzot in the Democratic primary. She defeated Creuzot earlier this year and faces no Republican challenger in November, making her the presumptive next district attorney.
She will assume the role in January, becoming the third woman to lead the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office in recent years.
Givens has previously said her administration will pursue a community-focused approach to prosecution, balancing support for crime victims with fairness for defendants while prioritizing public safety.
Provided by Dallas Express
