Who is running for Judge, County Civil Court at Law No. 3 in 2026?

Attorney, private practice

Israel Garcia Jr. served as Harris County Justice of the Peace for Precinct 5, Place 1, from 2021 through 2024; he was elected to that office as a Democrat in 2020 and lost reelection as the Democratic nominee in 2024¹. He is the certified 2026 Republican nominee for Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 3¹. The State Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly sanctioned him twice over conduct during his time as a justice of the peace²³. He faces Democratic incumbent LaShawn Williams in the general election¹.

• Justice of the Peace, Precinct 5, Place 1, Harris County, January 2021 to December 2024¹
• Attorney and counselor at law, private practice¹
• B.A., University of Texas at Austin, 1988; J.D., Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University, 1991; licensed in Texas since May 1993¹⁴
• Won the 2020 Democratic primary and defeated Republican incumbent Russ Ridgway in the November 3, 2020 general election for Justice of the Peace, Precinct 5, Place 1; took office January 1, 2021¹. Lost reelection to Republican James Lombardino in the November 5, 2024 general election and left office December 31, 2024¹³. Advanced unopposed from the Republican primary for Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 3 on March 3, 2026, and faces Democratic incumbent LaShawn Williams in the November 3, 2026 general election¹.
• Public discipline: State Commission on Judicial Conduct, two public sanctions: (1) Public Admonition and Order of Additional Education, issued December 20, 2023 (CJC Nos. 21-1557 and 22-0858). The Commission found he advertised paid wedding services using his judicial title and images of himself in judicial robes on the bench, lending the prestige of judicial office to private interests, and ordered three hours of instruction with a mentor². (2) Public Warning, issued May 12, 2025 (CJC No. 25-0190), after he had left office, concerning a 2022 eviction case: the Commission found he granted a motion for summary disposition without waiting the required 14 days, was not patient and courteous toward a litigant, and did not give that litigant the right to be heard³.

Judge, Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 3

LaShawn Williams has been judge of Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 3 since January 2019¹. She holds a law degree from Texas Southern University and has been licensed in Texas since 1996². She defeated a Democratic primary challenger to win renomination and faces Republican Israel Garcia Jr. in the general election¹.

• Judge, Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 3, since January 1, 2019; current term ends December 31, 2026¹
• Law degree, Texas Southern University; licensed in Texas since May 1996²
• Defeated incumbent Republican Linda Storey in the November 6, 2018 general election and took office January 1, 2019; reelected in November 2022 over Republican Aaron Adams¹. Defeated Miroslava Mendiola in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026, 72.3% to 27.7%¹. Faces Republican Israel Garcia Jr. in the November 3, 2026 general election¹.