2026 Texas General Election

Denise Hernández

Denise is a judge for Travis County Court-At-Law, where she has served since 2023.

Meet the masc lesbian judge challenging the justice cis-tem with ...

Judge Denise Hernández on Youth & Court Reform | Changing Austin

Travis County judge holds free weddings for Central Texas couples

Denise is currently a judge on the Travis County Court at Law. She was appointed in 2023.

As a board member of the Texas Juvenile Justice Association, Hernández leads the Transformative Youth Justice program, which provides support for young people impacted by the justice system.

As of July 22, 2026, Denise Hernández’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Serves on the board of The Contemporary, Creative Action, The New Philanthropists, and the Rebel Fund.

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Buket Urgen

Leads the Transformative Youth Justice program, a youth diversion initiative focused on holistic community-centered support for young people impacted by the justice system.

Legal Experience

Judicial Philosophy

Judicial Administration

Ethics & Conduct

Dedicated to increasing fair access in the courtroom, mentorship, and implementing collective care and healing-focused approaches in the justice system.

Community Involvement

- A County Court-At-Law judge handles misdemeanors, such as assault of a family member, property theft between $750 and $2,500, and using force against a law enforcement officer. They also handle civil cases where the amount in question does not exceed $200,000. 
- County Court-At-Law judges conduct arraignments, pre-trial hearings, and jury trials, as well as accept guilty pleas. 
- They are elected in a partisan, county-wide election to a four-year term. 
- Candidates must be a U.S. citizen, at least 25 years old, have been a Texas and county resident for at least 24 consecutive months, a practicing lawyer and/or judge in Texas for at least four years, and registered to vote in that county.
- The annual salary for County Court-At-Law Judges ranges from $174,000 to $244,500, depending on years of service and how much they receive as a county supplement.

Handles civil and criminal cases from District Courts.