Who is running for Criminal District Judge, 180th District Court in 2026?

Judge, 180th District Court (Harris County)

Tami Pierce has been judge of the 180th District Court since October 2025, when Governor Greg Abbott appointed her to the seat¹². She ran for the same seat in 2022 and, by Harris County's official count, lost to Democrat DaSean Jones by 449 votes out of more than 1 million cast⁵. She filed an election contest; a visiting judge ruled in 2024 that more than 1,400 votes should not have been counted and ordered a new election, and Jones appealed³⁴. Jones resigned in October 2025 while the appeal was pending, and Abbott then appointed Pierce³⁴.

• Judge, 180th District Court, Harris County, by appointment of Governor Greg Abbott on October 6, 2025²
• Attorney and owner, Pierce Law Firm, Kingwood, before taking the bench²
• Former assistant district attorney in Polk, San Jacinto and Liberty counties²⁴
• B.A., Northeast Louisiana University; J.D., Thurgood Marshall School of Law; licensed in Texas since November 2002²⁶
• Ran as the Republican nominee for the 180th District Court in November 2022; Harris County's official results showed incumbent Democrat DaSean Jones ahead, 534,460 votes to 534,011⁵. Pierce filed an election contest; in 2024 visiting Judge David Peeples ruled that more than 1,400 votes should not have been counted and ordered a new election, and Jones appealed³⁴. The appeal was still pending when Jones resigned in early October 2025³⁴. Governor Greg Abbott appointed Pierce to the vacancy on October 6, 2025, for a term ending December 31, 2026². She advanced unopposed from the Republican primary on March 3, 2026 and faces Democrat Stephanie Morales in the November 3, 2026 general election¹.

Attorney, Morales Law Firm, PLLC

Stephanie Morales is a Houston attorney with Morales Law Firm, PLLC, licensed in Texas since 2015; her State Bar profile lists criminal, family and juvenile law as practice areas². She holds a J.D. from South Texas College of Law Houston¹. She was the Democratic nominee for Texas House District 138 in 2022 and 2024, losing both times to Republican Lacey Hull¹. She advanced unopposed from the Democratic primary for the 180th District Court and faces Republican incumbent Tami Pierce in the general election¹.

• Attorney, Morales Law Firm, PLLC, Houston; practice areas listed with the State Bar include criminal, family and juvenile law²
• B.A., Texas A&M University, 2011; J.D., South Texas College of Law Houston, 2014; additional degree, University of Houston Law Center, 2017; licensed in Texas since April 2015¹²
• Was the Democratic nominee for Texas House District 138 in November 2022 and November 2024 and lost both races to Republican incumbent Lacey Hull¹. Advanced unopposed from the Democratic primary for the 180th District Court on March 3, 2026, after fellow Democrat Allison Mathis withdrew or was disqualified¹. Faces Republican incumbent Tami Pierce in the November 3, 2026 general election¹.