Hi, I’m Judge Elisabeth Earle, and I’m proud to call Austin my lifelong home. I was born and raised here, went to Austin public schools, earned my degree from the University of Texas, and had my first taste of the legal world while working at the State Bar of Texas.

About Elisabeth

Those experiences solidified my decision to pursue law school, so I packed up and headed to San Antonio to study at St. Mary’s University School of Law, where I was honored with the National Association of Women Lawyers Award.

I am also active in several community and national organizations, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the Responsibility.org Judicial Advisory Board, and the Lola Wright Foundation.

Elisabeth Earle was born and raised in Austin, which she calls her lifelong home. She attended Austin public schools, earned a degree from the University of Texas, and studied law at St. Mary’s University School of Law. She is active in Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the Responsibility.org Judicial Advisory Board, and the Lola Wright Foundation.

Elisabeth Earle was born and raised in Austin, which she calls her lifelong home. She attended Austin public schools, earned a degree from the University of Texas, and studied law at St. Mary’s University School of Law. 

Elisabeth served as a prosecutor in the Travis County Attorney’s Office.

In 2002, I was first elected to the County Court-at-Law bench where I continue to serve as Presiding Judge. In addition, in 2007 I founded and continue to lead our Travis County DWI Court, an intensive, treatment-based program that helps individuals break the cycle of addiction and repeat offenses.

County Court #6
The Honorable Denise Hernández
County Court #7
The Honorable Elisabeth A.
Earle
County Court #8
The Honorable Carlos H.
Barrera

Criminal County Courts

Elisabeth currently serves as a judge on Travis County Court-at-Law No. 7. She was first elected to the county court-at-law bench in 2002 and continues to serve as presiding judge.

County Courts | Travis County, Texas

2026 Texas General Election

Since then, I’ve dedicated my career to public service and justice reform. I began as a prosecutor with the Travis County Attorney’s Office, focusing on domestic violence cases. In 1998, I was honored to be appointed Municipal Court Judge for the City of Austin and was approached to help create the nationally recognized Downtown Austin Community Court (DACC), the first community court in Texas and the seventh in the United States.

In 1990, I moved to London, England working for the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher – an incredible experience that opened my eyes to the global legal landscape.

After returning to Austin, I served in the Texas Senate Jurisprudence Committee and the Governor’s Office in the Criminal Justice Division for Governor Ann Richards, a hero of mine who gave me an opportunity for which I will forever be grateful.

Served as a prosecutor in the Travis County Attorney’s Office, focusing on domestic violence cases.

Worked for the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in London, England.

Served on the Texas Senate Jurisprudence Committee and in the Governor’s Office Criminal Justice Division.

Served as an appointed City of Austin municipal court judge beginning in 1998.

Serves as presiding judge on the Travis County Court-at-Law bench; first elected in 2002.

Founded and leads the Travis County Driving While Intoxicated Court, a treatment-based program addressing addiction and repeat offenses.

- Served as a prosecutor in the Travis County Attorney’s Office, focusing on domestic violence cases.
- Worked for the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in London, England.
- Served on the Texas Senate Jurisprudence Committee and in the Governor’s Office Criminal Justice Division.
- Served as an appointed City of Austin municipal court judge beginning in 1998.
- Serves as presiding judge on the Travis County Court-at-Law bench; first elected in 2002.
- Founded and leads the Travis County Driving While Intoxicated Court, a treatment-based program addressing addiction and repeat offenses.

Legal Experience

Throughout my career, I’ve tried to use my courtroom not only to deliver justice but to foster responsibility, self-reform, and community healing. I regularly speak on restorative justice, smart-on-crime policies, and how we can build a more effective and compassionate justice system.

Said her courtroom approach seeks justice, responsibility, self-reform, and community healing, and that she speaks on restorative justice and smart-on-crime policies.

- Said her courtroom approach seeks justice, responsibility, self-reform, and community healing, and that she speaks on restorative justice and smart-on-crime policies.

Judicial Philosophy

It’s one of the things I’m most proud of — seeing lives changed through compassion, accountability, and community support. Our Court’s mission is to enhance public safety through providing an intensive, judicially supervised program of team-based counseling, treatment, and supervision to alcohol and substance abuse dependent DWI offenders.

It’s great to see our innovative diversion courts getting the coverage they deserve. Innovative courts like these keep our streets safe, help offenders change their lives and go on to great things, and save taxpayers money. It’s a win, win, win for our community.

News: “Diversion programs can reduce mass incarceration in Travis County”

I was honored to receive an award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Washington, DC in recognition of our work to reduce drunk driving in Travis County and to develop innovative courts to help keep our streets safe by preventing recidivism.

MADD National Award in Washington, DC

Uses judicially supervised counseling, treatment, and supervision for offenders with alcohol or substance dependencies who drive while intoxicated to enhance public safety.

Advocates for diversion courts, saying they improve public safety, help offenders change their lives, and save taxpayer money.

- Uses judicially supervised counseling, treatment, and supervision for offenders with alcohol or substance dependencies who drive while intoxicated to enhance public safety.
- Advocates for diversion courts, saying they improve public safety, help offenders change their lives, and save taxpayer money.

Judicial Administration

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

Ethics & Conduct

Participates in Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).

Participates in the Responsibility.org Judicial Advisory Board.

Participates in the Lola Wright Foundation.

Helped create the Downtown Austin Community Court, Texas's first community court.

- Participates in Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
- Participates in the Responsibility.org Judicial Advisory Board.
- Participates in the Lola Wright Foundation.
- Helped create the Downtown Austin Community Court, Texas's first community court.

Community Involvement

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Elisabeth Earle

Elisabeth is a presiding judge at the Travis County Court-at-Law bench. She has served there since 2002. She previously worked as a municipal court judge for the City of Austin, as a prosecutor with the Travis County Attorney’s Office focusing on domestic violence cases, as a staff member in the Texas Senate Jurisprudence Committee and in the Criminal Justice Division of the Governor’s Office under Governor Ann Richards, and as an attorney at the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in London.

Elisabeth Earle is currently Presiding Judge of Travis County Court-at-Law #7. She was first elected to the County Court-at-Law bench in 2002 and continues to serve in that role.

Travis County Judge Elisabeth Earle no longer eyeing County ...

As a municipal court judge, helped create the Downtown Austin Community Court, the first community court in Texas and the seventh in the United States.

Elected as a judge of the County Court-at-Law in 2002.

As a judge, Earle founded and leads the Travis County DWI (driving while intoxicated) Court, an intensive, treatment-based program that helps individuals break the cycle of addiction and repeat offenses.

Founded and leads the Travis County DWI Court, a treatment-based program aimed at reducing addiction and repeat offenses.

Supports the use of diversion courts, saying they "keep our streets safe, help offenders change their lives... and save taxpayers money."

Supports reducing drunk driving and preventing repeat offenses.

Serves on the Judicial Advisory Board of Responsibility.org.

Served on the boards of the Salvation Army, Community Action Network, Leadership Austin, and Volunteer Legal Services of Austin.

Mentors young people through programs like the National Women Judges’ Color of Justice, which encourages students from all backgrounds to pursue legal careers.

Elisabeth Earle is from Austin, Texas. She has a bachelor 27s degree from the University of Texas and a law degree from St. Mary 27s University School of Law. She and her husband, Jeff, have two daughters.

Elisabeth is a judge. She is the presiding judge of Travis County Court-at-Law #7, a position she has held since 2002. She previously served as a municipal court judge for the City of Austin and helped create the Downtown Austin Community Court, the first community court in Texas. Before taking the bench, she worked as a prosecutor with the Travis County Attorney's Office, focusing on domestic violence cases. She also worked for the Texas Senate Jurisprudence Committee and the Governor's Office in the Criminal Justice Division for Governor Ann Richards. 

Elisabeth is currently the presiding judge of Travis County Court-at-Law #7. She was first elected to this position in 2002. She also served as a municipal court judge for the City of Austin.

As a prosecutor with the Travis County Attorney’s Office, focused on domestic violence cases.

As a municipal court judge, helped create the Downtown Austin Community Court (DACC), the first community court in Texas and the seventh in the United States.

As a county court-at-law judge, Earle oversees civil cases, including suits involving more than $25000, family law matters, and the probate of wills and administration of estates. She also handles criminal cases involving misdemeanors and minor criminal offenses.

As a judge, founded the Travis County DWI Court, a treatment-based program aimed at reducing addiction and repeat offenses.

Supports "restorative justice" and "smart-on-crime policies."

Served as Chair of the State Bar of Texas Judicial Section and the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors.

Served on the boards of the Salvation Army, Community Action Network, and Leadership Austin.

Buket Urgen

Mauricio Mendez

- 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.