Amber Givens Upsets Incumbent in Dallas County DA Primary

Poised to become the county's first Black female district attorney, Givens addresses past courtroom controversy and outlines her vision for the office.

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Amber Givens, a former district court judge, has defeated two-term incumbent Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot in the Democratic primary. With no Republican opponent, Givens is expected to become the first Black female elected to the office. In an exclusive interview, Givens addresses past controversies about her courtroom conduct and outlines her plans to improve the justice system, including a focus on a more robust intake process to promote efficiency and fairness.

Why it matters

Givens' victory represents a historic milestone for Dallas County, as she is poised to become the first Black female district attorney. Her election also comes at a time when the local justice system has faced criticism for being a "revolving door" for criminals, and Givens aims to address these concerns through reforms.

The details

Givens, a former district court judge, overcame controversy about her courtroom conduct to defeat the two-term incumbent Creuzot. She says she engaged directly with constituents, rather than relying on mailers, to understand their needs and concerns with the justice system. Givens plans to implement a better intake system where law enforcement and prosecutors can work together earlier in cases to improve efficiency and fairness. She denies the charges that led to her being sanctioned by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct and says she was never reversed in 11 years on the bench because her focus has always been on the law and facts, not personalities.

  • Givens resigned as a district court judge last year to run for office.
  • Givens was sanctioned by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct over a complaint that she had her court coordinator pretend to be her during a 2021 Zoom meeting with lawyers.

The players

Amber Givens

A former district court judge who defeated two-term incumbent Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot in the Democratic primary. She is poised to become the first Black female elected as Dallas County District Attorney.

John Creuzot

The two-term incumbent Dallas County District Attorney who was defeated by Amber Givens in the Democratic primary.

Elaine Givens

Amber Givens' mother, who died last year before seeing her daughter win the Democratic primary to become the first Black female elected as Dallas County District Attorney.

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What they’re saying

“First, I just have to give all glory to God. This is not something that I did.”

— Amber Givens (CBS News Texas)

“Having a robust intake department is going to address a lot of those issues with people sitting in jail that should have never been arrested, or victims waiting on justice for months on end.”

— Amber Givens (CBS News Texas)

“A lot of people thought throughout this race that either being soft on crime or, you know, feeling like people that are accused deserve justice, are opposite. They're actually not.”

— Amber Givens (CBS News Texas)

What’s next

Givens says she plans to work with the county commissioners who publicly endorsed her opponent, despite a previous salary dispute lawsuit she filed against the county.

The takeaway

Givens' historic victory as the first Black female district attorney in Dallas County highlights the public's desire for reforms to the local justice system, with a focus on improving efficiency, fairness, and addressing concerns about the system being a "revolving door" for criminals.