(Note: As I have done in past elections, I am running a series of Q&As for Democratic judicial candidates. I ran a series of these for candidates in contested primaries, and now these are for the rest of the candidates. I am running these responses in the order that I receive them from the candidates. Much more information about Democratic candidates, including links to interviews and judicial Q&As, can be found on Erik Manning’s spreadsheet.
BreAnna Schwartz
1. Who are you and what are you running for?
I am BreAnna Schwartz, running for the 497th District Court
2. What kind of cases does this court hear?
This court hears felony criminal cases within Harris County.
3. Why are you running for this particular bench?
This is a new court that was created in 2024, and this is its first election cycle. I am running for this position because people in Harris County deserve to have qualified judges on the bench who are passionate about the work it takes to ensure a fair and functioning justice system for all people. I care about the integrity of our criminal justice system and I want to be a part of the continual improvement of our system so the public can have confidence that our justice system works.
4. What are your qualifications for this job?
The whole of my practice as an attorney has been in the criminal justice system. I attended Law School at The University of Houston with the intent to stay in Houston and work in criminal law; I was a prosecutor with Harris County for 9 years, and I have been working as defense counsel for 4 years.
As a prosecutor, I rotated through several divisions outside the standard misdemeanor and felony trial courts. (Domestic Violence, Grand Jury, I helped set up and start Reintegration court (RIC), post-conviction writs, and I voluntarily wrote a few appellate briefs outside of my rotations).
As defense counsel, I am a solo practitioner, primarily handling indigent felony cases in both pre-trial and post-conviction matters. I have taken a number of management courses that have prepared me for how to work with a courtroom team, and with other stakeholders in a productive, professional way.
With the sum of my career to date, I have significant experience in a Harris County felony courtroom. I’ve worked hundreds of felony cases, have tried felony cases first chair, and have handled hundreds of felony post-conviction matters that require me to review proceedings and court records to determine if the law was followed properly, if the trial court made appropriate decisions, and if a remedy is needed to correct errors.
5. Why is this race important?
This race is important because the day-to-day operations of a felony court directly impacts public safety and the lives of people in the community. A judge is a public servant, and Harris County should have judges that want the position because they care about the community, and want the public to have faith in the integrity of our justice system. The Judge sets the tone of operations in a court, which impacts hundreds of people every year.
6. Why should people vote for you in November?
Voters should select me because I am qualified and passionate about this work. I have a balanced career that has given me a wealth of experience at evaluating cases from a neutral perspective; I have an even, logical temperament that will translate well to judicial administration, and I want to see our justice system and community constantly improving. I want a criminal justice system that works and, I want to run a court that is respectful of all parties involved, cares about public safety, and strives to reduce recidivism rates.
PREVIOUSLY:
Judge Damiane Dianne Curvey, 280th Family District Court
Judge M. Monica Singh, Harris County Civil Court at Law #4
Judge Cory Sepolio, 269th Civil District Court
Samantha Davis, 313th Juvenile District Court
Judge Melissa Morris, 263rd Criminal District Court
Judge Toria J. Finch, Harris County Criminal Court at Law #9
Judge Linda Marie Dunson, 309th Family District Court
Judge Kelley Andrews, Harris County Criminal Court at Law #6
Judge Angela Lancelin, 245th Family District Court
Judge Shannon Baldwin, Harris County Criminal Court at Law #4
Julie Countiss, First Court of Appeals, Place 4
Judge Lori Chambers Gray, 262nd Criminal District Court
Judge Teresa Waldrop, 312th Family District Court
Judge Veronica Nelson, 482nd Criminal District Court
Justice Amy Guerra, First Court of Appeals, Place 5
Okey Aniyam, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3
From the primaries:
Judge Kristen Hawkins, Supreme Court Justice, Place 7
Sarah Beth Landau, Chief Justice of the Fourteenth Court of Appeals
Judge Tanya Garrison, 157th Civil District Court
Julia Maldonado, 183rd Criminal District Court
Judge Brian Warren, 209th Criminal District Court
Judge Josh Hill, 232nd Criminal District Court
Judge Leah Shapiro, 315th Juvenile District Court
Judge James Horwitz, Harris County Probate Court #4
Ebony Williams, Harris County Civil Court at Law #2
Judge Andrew Wright, Harris County Criminal Court at Law #7