Who is running for Judge, County Court At Law No. 9 in 2026?

Attorney; former district judge

Daphne Previti Austin spent more than 10 years in the Bexar County District Attorney's Office before moving into private practice, and was previously elected to the 289th District Court¹. She is the Republican nominee for the open County Court at Law No. 9 seat vacated by retiring Judge Gloria Saldana¹².

• Judge, 289th District Court (Bexar County), elected in 2014¹
• Appointed a juvenile law referee in the 436th District Court in 2010; board certified in juvenile law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization¹
• More than 10 years as a prosecutor in the Bexar County District Attorney's Office¹
• Appointed a juvenile law referee in the 436th District Court in 2010, then elected to the 289th District Court in the 2014 election¹.

Criminal defense attorney

Jessica A. Gonzalez is a criminal trial attorney in private practice who spent nearly eight years as a prosecutor in the Bexar County District Attorney's Office¹. She won a three-way Democratic primary with 50.21 percent of the vote for the open County Court at Law No. 9 seat¹².

• Criminal trial attorney for more than 21 years, including nearly eight years as a Bexar County assistant district attorney and about 13 years representing adults and juveniles accused of crimes¹
• Says she helped draft legislation that led to a Texas constitutional amendment and penal code provisions denying bail in certain family violence cases¹
• JD, St. Mary's University School of Law, 2004¹
• Not a sitting judge. She won the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary for the open seat of retiring Judge Gloria Saldana².