Judge Duble grew up in Sharpstown, where he graduated from Strake Jesuit College Preparatory in 1982. He earned his undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University in 1986 and his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center in 1989.

Judge Duble has lived his entire life in Houston, where he raised three incredible children. He is the first openly gay JP in Harris County history. He and his husband share a home in Precinct One with their two rescue dogs, Dewey & Gussie.

Judge Steve Duble | Harris County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 1, Place 2

Steve Duble grew up in Sharpstown. He earned an undergraduate degree from Texas Christian University and a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. He has lived his entire life in Houston, where he raised three children, and shares a home in Precinct One with his husband.

Harris County Justice of the Peace (Pct. 1, Place 2)

Judge Steve Duble was elected in November 2022. He has practiced law in Harris County for over 30 years. He has successfully tried cases in Federal District courts and State District Courts in area counties, including Harris, Jefferson, Liberty, Fort Bend, and Brazoria.
He has also successfully argued appeals in Texas Appellate courts as well as the U.S. 5th Circuit.

Steve Duble practices law in Harris County.

Judge Steve Duble
Harris County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Place 2

Judge Steve Duble was elected in November 2022. He has practiced law in Harris County for over 30 years.

Steve currently serves as Harris County Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1, Place 2. He was elected in November 2022.

2026 Texas General Election

As an attorney, practiced law in Harris County for more than 30 years, including trials in federal and state district courts and appeals before Texas and federal appellate courts.

- As an attorney, practiced law in Harris County for more than 30 years, including trials in federal and state district courts and appeals before Texas and federal appellate courts.

Legal Experience

Applied for and received a grant from the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) to create an Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI), which emphasizes using the court to connect litigants with the time, information, and resources to resolve their housing disputes in a less harmful manner. In 2024, we were awarded an additional year of NCSC funding to expand our EDI program.

Steve Duble for Justice of the Peace

Duble specifically mentioned the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments in his statement outlining his reasoning.

“Shifting the focus to [the] collection of fines and fees instead of arrest respects the Sixth Amendment right to counsel and the Fourteenth Amendment right to due process of the U.S. Constitution and represents fiscal responsibility that honors the taxpayer,” he said in the statement. “The recall of the old Class C misdemeanor warrants should allow law enforcement to allocate more time and resources to protecting the public from violent crime.”

Harris County justice of the peace recalls all warrants for low-level crimes, citing constitutional concerns

As for future warrants, Duble said he has not issued any warrants since taking office in 2023 and said he does not plan to do so unless absolutely necessary.

Responsive and accessible local government is more important now than ever. Our court does not impose dress codes or arbitrary codes of conduct. I don’t wear a robe and I don’t use a gavel, because JP court should not feel like high school detention. My role as a judge is to listen to people, not to scold them. All of our dockets are hybrid in order to maximize accessibility, and we are proactive about making sure that people are aware of the resources and support that are available to them.

Initiated in-house collection efforts for fines and fees that were previously outsourced to a firm that added a 30% collection fee for those who can least afford to pay.
Leading the way on establishing ability to pay determinations, to avoid creating inequitable and unsustainable burdens for the most vulnerable people in our community.

Opened our Legal Resource Center in September 2024, made possible by a $25,000 grant from the Texas Bar Foundation. This is a unique hub where people without legal representation can find free information in multiple languages to navigate their cases.

Created access to justice forms and flyers, which we send with court notices, that link to specific guides to help self-represented litigants understand their rights.

Hired a data analyst to track and interpret key data to inform decision making.

Launched an Outreach Docket­­—the first ever county-level homeless court modeled on the City of Houston and American Bar Association program.

Started a pilot program with Texas Appleseed to support access to justice in consumer debt collection lawsuits. Stemming from a resolution from the Texas Judicial Council in 2020, the pilot provides a form and legal information on how to file an answer to a debt collection lawsuit. Over 800 defendants have received information through this pilot. Initial data shows it decreased default judgements and increased defendant engagement.

Began a pilot program with South Texas College of Law (STCL) to provide free attorneys in debt collection cases for those who qualify.

Created and expanded an Eviction Diversion Initiative to connect people involved in housing disputes with time, information, and resources.

Created and expanded an Eviction Diversion Initiative meant to connect people involved in housing disputes with time, information, and resources.

Said he does not plan to issue warrants unless absolutely necessary and favors collecting fines and fees rather than making arrests.

Said he does not plan to issue warrants unless absolutely necessary and favors collecting fines and fees.

Implemented hybrid court proceedings to maximize accessibility and connect people with available resources and support.

Initiated in-house collection of court fines and fees and established determinations of people's ability to pay for those unable to pay.

Opened a Legal Resource Center providing free, multilingual information to help people without legal representation navigate their cases.

Created forms and flyers sent with court notices to help people representing themselves in court understand their rights.

Hired a data analyst to track and interpret court data for decision-making.

Launched a county-level homeless court modeled on programs operated by the City of Houston and the American Bar Association.

Started a pilot program providing forms and legal information for defendants in consumer debt-collection lawsuits.

Began a pilot program providing free attorneys in qualifying debt-collection cases.

- Created and expanded an Eviction Diversion Initiative meant to connect people involved in housing disputes with time, information, and resources.
- Said he does not plan to issue warrants unless absolutely necessary and favors collecting fines and fees.
- Implemented hybrid court proceedings to maximize accessibility and connect people with available resources and support.
- Initiated in-house collection of court fines and fees and established determinations of people's ability to pay for those unable to pay.
- Opened a Legal Resource Center providing free, multilingual information to help people without legal representation navigate their cases.
- Created forms and flyers sent with court notices to help people representing themselves in court understand their rights.
- Hired a data analyst to track and interpret court data for decision-making.
- Launched a county-level homeless court modeled on programs operated by the City of Houston and the American Bar Association.
- Started a pilot program providing forms and legal information for defendants in consumer debt-collection lawsuits.
- Began a pilot program providing free attorneys in qualifying debt-collection cases.

Judicial Administration

Duble told HPM he and his office had researched the constitutionality of the warrants for over a year before making the decision.

“I have serious constitutional concerns as to whether we've done our ability to [conduct] pay analysis, which is required under Texas law and federal law,” he said. “The courts actually have an affirmative duty to find out what is the reason [a person] hasn't paid. ... If they have an inability to pay, then the court has a duty to do an ability to pay analysis and make a determination of what a fair fine would be.”

Said courts have a duty to assess a person's ability to pay and determine a fair fine when payment is not possible.

Said a judge's role is to listen to people rather than scold them.

- Said courts have a duty to assess a person's ability to pay and determine a fair fine when payment is not possible.
- Said a judge's role is to listen to people rather than scold them.

Judicial Philosophy

CONCLUSION
Based upon the record before it and the factual findings recited above, the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct has determined that the Honorable Steve Duble, Justice of the Peace, Pct. 1, Pl. 2 in Houston, Harris County, Texas, should be publicly admonished and ordered to obtain additional education for: (1) failing to comply with the law and maintain professional competence in the law when he: (a) failed to timely hear protected property exemption claims in approximately ten cases and (b) failed to provide notice or hold a hearing before terminating receiverships in the Cruz and Smith Cases; and (2) failing to allow the parties to be heard regarding terminating receiverships in the Cruz and Smith Cases, in violation of Canons 2A, 3B(2) and 3B(8) of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct.

Pursuant to this Order, Judge Duble must obtain two (2) hours of instruction with a mentor, in addition to his required annual judicial education for Fiscal Year 2026.

BEFORE THE STATE COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL CONDUCT — PUBLIC ADMONITION AND ORDER OF ADDITIONAL EDUCATION (CJC NOS. 24-0092, 24-0789 & 24-0890) — HONORABLE STEVE DUBLE

As a justice of the peace, was publicly admonished and ordered to complete additional education after the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct found procedural and legal violations in court cases.

- As a justice of the peace, was publicly admonished and ordered to complete additional education after the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct found procedural and legal violations in court cases.

Ethics & Conduct

Over the past ten years, in my leadership role with the Harris County Democratic Lawyers Association, I’ve worked with community leaders, judges, lawyers, and law students to provide continuing legal education on social justice issues. I have never hesitated to jump into action in support of causes I believe in, from helping organize the “No Ban, No Wall” rally at the Texas Capitol in 2017, to pro bono representation of everyone from activists to tenants. This experience has helped me cultivate the commitment to equal justice, freedom from bias, compassion, and patience necessary to serve my community as Justice of the Peace.

Helped organize the 2017 “No Ban, No Wall” rally at the Texas Capitol.

Provided pro bono representation to activists and tenants.

- Helped organize the 2017 “No Ban, No Wall” rally at the Texas Capitol.
- Provided pro bono representation to activists and tenants.

Community Involvement

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Steve Duble

- Implemented hybrid court proceedings to maximize accessibility and connect people with available resources and support.
- Initiated in-house collection of court fines and fees and established determinations of people's ability to pay for those unable to pay.
- Opened a Legal Resource Center providing free, multilingual information to help people without legal representation navigate their cases.
- Created forms and flyers sent with court notices to help people representing themselves in court understand their rights.
- Hired a data analyst to track and interpret court data for decision-making.
- Launched a county-level homeless court modeled on programs operated by the City of Houston and the American Bar Association.
- Started a pilot program providing forms and legal information for defendants in consumer debt-collection lawsuits.
- Began a pilot program providing free attorneys in qualifying debt-collection cases.

- Said a judge's role is to listen to people rather than scold them.

Steve Duble is from Sharpstown, Texas. He has a bachelor 27s degree from Texas Christian University and a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. He has three children and lives with his husband in Precinct 1.

Steve is an experienced litigator who has spent over thirty years advocating for plaintiffs and defendants in a wide variety of cases. He has represented both individual tenants and landlords in Harris County Justice of the Peace and county courts. He also works with the Harris County Democratic Lawyers Association to provide continuing legal education on social justice issues. 

Harris County Justice of the Peace recalls all warrants for low-level ...

Steve is currently a Harris County justice of the peace representing Precinct 1, Place 2. He was elected in 2022 and is currently serving his first term.

Has practiced law in Harris County for over 30 years, successfully tried cases in federal and state district courts, and argued appeals in Texas appellate courts and the U.S. 5th Circuit.

Supports increased Zoom access for court proceedings and the implementation of hybrid dockets.

Said, "Established a lactation room and improved courthouse amenities with the help of generous donations from the MillerKnoll Foundation."

Installed video monitors in the courthouse to share critical resources and information.

Said, "Placed additional HEPA air filters throughout the courthouse."

Said, "Got rid of unnecessary and inequitable dress codes."

For Candidate Steve Duble on Issue judicial-administration: Advocates for repurposing space to create meeting rooms for legal aid and nonprofits to meet with clients and provide resources.

Launched an Outreach Docket, the first county-level homeless court modeled on the City of Houston and American Bar Association program.

Said, "Organized numerous “Eviction Town Hall and Know Your Rights” workshops across the district, in collaboration with other elected officials and our EDI community resource partners."

For Candidate Steve Duble on Issue judicial-administration: Initiated in-house collection efforts for fines and fees to eliminate a 30% collection fee previously charged by an outsourced firm, aiming to assist those who can least afford to pay.

For Candidate Steve Duble on Issue judicial-administration:  
Started a pilot program with Texas Appleseed to improve access to justice in consumer debt collection lawsuits, providing legal information and forms, which has decreased default judgments and increased defendant engagement.

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

Steve Duble is from Sharpstown, Texas. He has a bachelor 27s degree from Texas Christian University and a law degree from the University of Houston.

Steve is an attorney who has practiced law in Harris County for over 30 years. He has successfully tried cases in federal and state district courts and has also successfully argued appeals in Texas appellate courts and the U.S. 5th Circuit. He has represented both tenants and landlords in Harris County courts. 

Steve is currently a Harris County Justice of the Peace in Precinct 1, Place 2. He was elected in 2022 and is serving his first term.

Has practiced law in Harris County for over 30 years, successfully tried cases in federal and state district courts, and argued appeals in Texas Appellate courts and the U.S. 5th Circuit.

For Candidate Steve Duble on Issue judicial-administration:  
Established a lactation room and improved courthouse amenities with donations from the MillerKnoll Foundation.

For Candidate Steve Duble on Issue judicial-administration:  
Eliminated unnecessary and inequitable dress codes.

Said, "Applied for and received a grant from the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) to create an Eviction Diversion Initiative (EDI), which emphasizes using the court to connect litigants with the time, information, and resources to resolve their housing disputes in a less harmful manner. In 2024, we were awarded an additional year of NCSC funding to expand our EDI program."

For Candidate Steve Duble on Issue judicial-administration:  
Initiated a pilot program with South Texas College of Law to provide free attorneys in debt collection cases for qualifying individuals.

Buket Urgen

Isaac Brickman

- Justices of the Peace oversee Justice Courts, trial courts for civil cases up to $20,000, and misdemeanor cases punishable only by fine. They also perform marriages, issue warrants, conduct preliminary hearings, and serve as notaries.
- Texas has 835 Justice Courts, each presided over by a single judge. Every county has between one and eight precincts based on the county's population, each with its own Justice Court.
- Justices of the Peace are elected through partisan, precinct-wide election to four-year terms. 
- Candidates must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, have been a Texas resident for at least 12 consecutive months, a district resident for at least six consecutive months, and registered to vote in that precinct.
- The annual salary for Justices of the Peace ranges from $19,207 to $151,805 and is by the county's Commissioners Court.


Presides over civil cases and fine-only misdemeanor cases.