Who is running for Judge, County Criminal Court at Law No. 14 in 2026?

Judge, Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 14

Jessica Padilla has been judge of Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 14 since January 2023¹. She won the seat in November 2022 as the Republican nominee, according to Harris County's official results². She holds a law degree from South Texas College of Law and has been licensed in Texas since 2001³. She advanced unopposed from the Republican primary for reelection and faces Democrat Yahaira Quezada in the general election¹.

• Judge, Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 14, since January 1, 2023; current term ends January 1, 2027¹
• Law degree, South Texas College of Law; licensed in Texas since November 2001³
• Ran as the Republican nominee for Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 13 in 2018 and lost to Democrat Raul Rodriguez¹. Elected to Criminal Court at Law No. 14 as the Republican nominee on November 8, 2022, defeating Democrat Je'Rell A. Rogers 533,823 votes (50.68%) to 519,533 (49.32%), and took office January 1, 2023¹². Advanced unopposed from the Republican primary on March 3, 2026, and faces Democrat Yahaira Quezada in the November 3, 2026 general election¹.

Associate Judge, 246th District Court (Harris County family court)

Yahaira Quezada is an associate judge of the 246th District Court, a Harris County family court²³. Her campaign describes an 18-year legal career that includes work as an assistant district attorney, juvenile public defender, criminal defense and immigration attorney, City of Houston adjudication hearing officer and adjunct professor². She graduated from Thurgood Marshall School of Law in 2007²³. She defeated James Hu in the Democratic primary and faces Republican incumbent Jessica Padilla in the general election¹.

• Associate Judge, 246th District Court, Harris County²³
• Former assistant district attorney, juvenile public defender, criminal defense attorney, immigration attorney, adjudication hearing officer for the City of Houston, and adjunct professor, according to her campaign site²
• J.D., Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern University, 2007; licensed in Texas since November 2007²³
• Occupation listed on her 2026 primary filing: associate judge⁴
• Defeated James Hu in the Democratic primary for Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 14 on March 3, 2026, 54.6% to 45.4%¹. Faces Republican incumbent Jessica Padilla in the November 3, 2026 general election¹.