Daniella has been married to her best friend and partner in life, Jim, for more than 20 years. Together they have two sons who love music and sports.

About | Judge Daniella Deseta Lyttle — Re-Elect Judge Daniella

Daniella Deseta Lyttle has been married to Jim for more than 20 years, and they have two sons.

Before taking the bench, Daniella was an experienced full-time trial lawyer in Austin. She founded and served as Managing Partner of Lyttle Law Firm, PLLC, where she represented clients in Immigration, Family, Business, and Entertainment Law. She litigated cases throughout Central Texas and in federal courts across Texas, giving her extensive courtroom experience in complex business and contract disputes, family law, immigration, and matters involving some of the most vulnerable members of our community.

Daniella previously worked as a trial lawyer in Austin and founded and served as managing partner of Lyttle Law Firm, PLLC.

Daniella DeSeta Lyttle was elected by Travis County voters to serve as Judge of the 261st District Court in November 2022. She is the first Latina and the first female Army Veteran to serve on the 261st District Court.

Daniella was elected by Travis County voters to serve as judge of the 261st District Court in November 2022.

2026 Texas General Election

Founded and served as managing partner of Lyttle Law Firm, PLLC, representing clients in immigration, family, business, and entertainment law.

Worked as a trial lawyer in Austin, litigating cases in Central Texas and federal courts across Texas.

- Founded and served as managing partner of Lyttle Law Firm, PLLC, representing clients in immigration, family, business, and entertainment law.
- Worked as a trial lawyer in Austin, litigating cases in Central Texas and federal courts across Texas.

Legal Experience

As Judge of Travis County's 261st District Court, I am the Chair of the Language Access Committee for our district courts. I ensure that everyone who walks through our Courts has access to justice regardless of language barriers. I support Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas, an organization that provides legal services to the most vulnerable members of our community - immigrants, domestic violence victims, veterans, and children.

Re-Elect Judge Daniella for Travis County's 261st District Court!

Ensures access to justice in the district courts regardless of language barriers.

- Ensures access to justice in the district courts regardless of language barriers.

Judicial Administration

The ruling by 261st Civil District Court Judge Daniella DeSeta Lyttle calls on DPS to fulfill 28 records requests filed by the news organizations, which include ProPublica and The Texas Tribune, subject to redactions such as personal information of police officers and blurring the faces of minor victims in crime scene photographs. Lyttle issued a preliminary order in June. The one issued Tuesday is the final judgment. It requires DPS to provide the records sought within 20 days, unless the state police agency appeals the ruling.

Texas judge orders release of Uvalde shooting records

Judge DeSeta Lyttle believes that the judiciary must be independent, fair, hardworking, and accessible to everyone. She brings the same commitment to service that guided her military career to her work on the bench: leadership, integrity, discipline, and a steadfast commitment to justice.

As a district judge, ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to fulfill 28 Uvalde-related records requests, subject to privacy redactions.

As a district judge, ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to release records concerning the 2022 Uvalde school shooting, with private information removed.

Believes the judiciary must be independent, fair, hardworking, and accessible to everyone.

- As a district judge, ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to release records concerning the 2022 Uvalde school shooting, with private information removed.
- Believes the judiciary must be independent, fair, hardworking, and accessible to everyone.

Judicial Philosophy

As of July 22, 2026, Daniella Deseta Lyttle’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Ethics & Conduct

Community Involvement

Daniella Deseta Lyttle

- Believes the judiciary must be independent, fair, hardworking, and accessible to everyone.

Prior to being elected Judge of the 261st District Court, Daniella was a full-time trial lawyer working in Austin, where she has resided for over 24 years. Judge DeSeta Lyttle was a litigator in the district courts of Travis County, but she also litigated cases in central Texas counties and federal Courts around the state of Texas.

About | Judge Daniella Deseta Lyttle

First Generation American. As an immigrant who previously practiced immigration law, Daniella brings a much needed perspective to the civil bench in Travis County.

Re-Elect Judge Daniella | Experience & Dedication

Michigan State University Law School, J.D., Magna Cum Laude, May 2009 University of South Florida, B.A. with honors, May 2002 Ft. Sam Houston, Academy of Health and Science, Medical Education and Training Campus (METC), U.S. Army, Infantry Combat Medic

Prior to being elected Judge of the 261st District Court, Daniella was a full-time trial lawyer working in Austin, where she has resided for over 24 years. Judge DeSeta Lyttle was a litigator in the district courts of Travis County, but she also litigated cases in central Texas counties and federal Courts around the state of Texas. Daniella was the founder and Managing Partner of Lyttle Law Firm, PLLC, specializing in Immigration Law, Family Law, Business Law, and Entertainment Law.

In law school, Daniella was a top law student graduating at the top of her class and her legal research and writing was published in her second year of law school. She interned with the Attorney General of Texas (tort litigation and child support unit) and Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, working on Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) cases and family law matters. Daniella is also an Army Veteran having served in the U.S. Army as an enlisted Combat Medic and is multilingual (English/Spanish/Portuguese).

Daniella Deseta Lyttle was the founder and managing partner of Lyttle Law Firm, PLLC, practicing immigration, family, business, and entertainment law. She previously interned in the Texas attorney general's office and at Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid.

Daniella DeSeta Lyttle was elected by Travis County voters to the 261st District Court for a four-year term in 2022. She is the first Latina and the first female Army Veteran to serve the 261st. She presides over civil and family-law cases, including business, commercial, administrative, consumer, real estate, divorce, child-custody and Child Protective Services cases.

261st Civil District Court. The Honorable Daniella DeSeta Lyttle. Judge Daniella DeSeta Lyttle has served as the presiding judge of the 261st District Court since January 2023.

261st Civil District Court | Travis County, Texas

I'm running for a second term to continue making Travis County courts accessible to all. Prior to taking the bench I was a front-line trial lawyer representing families, veterans, and immigrants in the most difficult situations and as a community leader, I work on behalf of women facing homelessness and lead as President of the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin where we focus on education and access for future generations of lawyers.

External Legal Assistance Program (PALE) Attorney, appointed by Mexican Consul General Carlos Gonzalez Gutierrez (2015 - 2018) Army Veteran - U.S. Army Infantry Combat Medic Board Member- St. Louise House (an organization dedicated to moving women from homelessness to healthy independent lives)

Interned with the Texas attorney general's office and Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid on tort litigation, child support, violence against women, and family-law matters.

Ensures that people using Travis County district courts have access to justice regardless of language barriers.

- Ensures that people using Travis County district courts have access to justice regardless of language barriers.

Army Veteran - U.S. Army Infantry Combat Medic Board Member- St. Louise House (an organization dedicated to moving women from homelessness to healthy independent lives) Chair, Travis County District Courts Language Access Committee

Daniella Deseta Lyttle has a bachelor 27s degree from the University of South Florida and a law degree from Michigan State University. She has been married to her husband, Jim, for over 20 years, and they have two sons together. Daniella has lived in Austin for over 24 years.

Daniella is a judge for the 261st District Court in Travis County. Before taking the bench, she was a trial lawyer, representing families, veterans, and immigrants. She also served as the president of the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin. Daniella is a U.S. Army veteran and previously worked as an infantry combat medic.

Daniella is currently a judge on the 261st District Court for Travis County. She was first elected in 2022 and is currently serving her first term. Before her election, she was a full-time trial lawyer.

As founder and managing partner of Lyttle Law Firm, she oversaw finances and budgeting, shaped firm culture, helped attract new clients, managed and mentored legal associates, and guided growth in the firm’s areas of legal practice.

Supports helping "the most vulnerable members of the community, devoting herself to ensuring access to justice to victims of violence, immigrants and veterans."

Supports providing legal services to immigrants, domestic violence victims, veterans, and children.

Served as a board member for the St. Thomas University Alumni Association.

Serves as a speaker for the Hispanic Bar Association of Austin.

Serves as a speaker for the Austin Bar Association Bench Bar.

Served as a speaker for the Judicial Perspectives for Mediators event on June 18th, 2024, hosted by the Austin Bar Association's Alternative Dispute Resolution Section.

Serves as a speaker on topics related to law and trial practice, including persuasion in opening statements.

Serves as a speaker for the Austin Bar Association, Calvert Inn of Court.

Buket Urgen

Sahid Burgos

- District judges manage Texas district courts, which are trial courts with general jurisdiction, and have exclusive authority over felony cases. A judge may be presiding over a civil, criminal, juvenile, or special court. They also share jurisdiction with Texas county courts.
- Texas has over 470 district courts, each presided over by a single judge. Some courts cover multiple counties, while others are assigned to single counties based on population size.
- District judges are elected through partisan elections for four-year terms. Candidates must be between 25 and 75 years old, have lived in the district for at least 2 years, and be licensed lawyers with at least 4 years' experience.
- The annual salary for district judges ranges from $175,000 to $245,500, depending on years of service.

Presides over a trial court with general jurisdiction. 