Who is running for Civil District Judge, 281st District Court in 2026?

Judge, 281st Civil District Court, Harris County

Christine Weems has been judge of the 281st Civil District Court in Harris County since January 1, 2019, after defeating the Republican incumbent in 2018; she was re-elected in 2022¹². She is double board certified in Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law, and before taking the bench represented injured plaintiffs in cases ranging from medical malpractice to mass tort litigation¹. She ran for the Texas Supreme Court in 2024 and lost, and is running for re-election to the 281st against Republican Chris Carmona².

• Judge, 281st Civil District Court, Harris County, since January 1, 2019¹²
• Double board certified trial attorney in Personal Injury Trial Law and Civil Trial Law before taking the bench, representing individuals and corporations in litigation including medical malpractice, automobile accident and mass tort cases¹
• Presided over 50 jury trials despite courtroom shortages from Hurricane Harvey damage and the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a speaker biography¹
• J.D., South Texas College of Law, 2000; licensed in Texas since November 2000¹⁴
• Weems defeated incumbent Republican Sylvia A. Matthews in the November 6, 2018 general election, took office January 1, 2019, and was re-elected in November 2022 over Republican Michelle Fraga². In 2024 she was the Democratic nominee for the Texas Supreme Court, Place 4, and lost to incumbent Republican John Devine, who received 57.3 percent². She faces Republican Chris Carmona in the November 3, 2026 general election².
• Bar poll: The Houston Bar Association's Judicial Preference Poll is a non-binding survey of HBA members' preferences, and the HBA states it is not an endorsement. The 2026 poll was open as of September 27, 2026, closes October 2, 2026, and results are due October 9, 2026; no results had been published as of this writing³.

Attorney, Houston, Texas

Chris Carmona is a Houston attorney with The Carmona Firm, PLLC, licensed in Texas since 2010, whose listed practice areas include civil litigation, consumer, creditor and debtor, and family law¹². He was named to Super Lawyers' Rising Stars list from 2017 to 2020². He has not previously held judicial office. He is the Republican nominee for the 281st District Court against incumbent Democrat Christine Weems³.

• Attorney, The Carmona Firm, PLLC, Houston; practice areas listed with the State Bar include litigation, consumer, creditor and debtor, family, and government and administrative law¹²
• Named to Super Lawyers' Rising Stars list, 2017 to 2020²
• B.A., International Relations, Marymount Manhattan College; J.D., South Texas College of Law, 2009; licensed in Texas since May 2010¹³
• Carmona has not previously held judicial office. He advanced unopposed from the Republican primary for the 281st District Court on March 3, 2026, and faces incumbent Democrat Christine Weems in the November 3, 2026 general election³.
• Bar poll: The Houston Bar Association's Judicial Preference Poll is a non-binding survey of HBA members' preferences, and the HBA states it is not an endorsement. The 2026 poll was open as of September 27, 2026, closes October 2, 2026, and results are due October 9, 2026; no results had been published as of this writing⁴.