Texas Ballot Compare

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Nonpartisan voter guide · Texas

Juvenile District Judge, 315th Judicial District

Race · November 3, 2026 general election

Harris County
Vote for oneResearched · fact-checked
Maria Valeria BrockRepublican
Leah ShapiroLeah ShapiroDemocratic Incumbent
On ballot as
MARIA VALERIA BROCK
LEAH SHAPIRO
Current role
Attorney, Harris County Attorney's Office
Judge, 315th District Court, Harris County
Background
  • Law degree, University of Houston (1990)
  • Licensed to practice law in Texas since 1990
  • Bachelor of arts in philosophy, New York University
  • Law degree, St. Mary's University School of Law
  • Fifth-generation member of a Galveston family (per campaign)
  • Grew up in Round Rock (per campaign)
Experience
  • Ran for 315th District Court (2022); did not win
  • Practice areas include family, juvenile, probate, business and commercial litigation (per State Bar)
  • Elected 2018; sworn in January 2019
  • Second term began 2023
  • Presides over CARE Court (specialty court serving victims of juvenile sex trafficking)
  • Member, Harris County Juvenile Board
  • Harris County Public Defender's Office, Juvenile Division (from 2011)
  • Began her career as an assistant district attorney, Harris County District Attorney's Office
Top priorities
Not found
  • "I strive each day to make decisions to provide the best outcomes for the family, youth, and community."
  • "All children and families, regardless of financial circumstances, deserve quality representation."
Tidbits
  • Judicial philosophy: No public statement found
  • Court administration: No public statement found
  • Judicial philosophy: "I strive each day to make decisions to provide the best outcomes for the family, youth, and community."
  • Court administration: Campaign site: "Eliminated backlog inherited in 2019 and ended 2025 with the lowest active caseload in the Juvenile Justice Center."
Endorsements
  • Houston Police Officers' Union (shared endorsement)
  • The "C" Club of Houston
  • Houston Police Officers' Union (shared endorsement)
  • Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
  • Houston Association of Women Attorneys
  • Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus PAC (primary)
  • Bay Area New Democrats (primary)
Show all 18
  • Houston Chronicle (primary)
  • Lesley Briones, County Commissioner, Precinct 4 (primary)
  • Adrian Garcia, County Commissioner, Precinct 2 (primary)
  • Gene Wu, Texas State Representative (primary)
  • Emmanuel Guerrero, Council Member, District C, Pasadena (primary)
  • Area 5 Democrats (primary)
  • Asian Texans for Justice Action Fund (primary)
  • Bay Area Democratic Movement (primary)
  • The Greater Heights Democratic Club (primary)
  • Harris County Tejano Democrats (primary)
  • Houston Black American Democrats (primary)
  • Houston Progressive Caucus (primary)
  • Mexican-American Bar Association of Houston (primary)
Campaign website
Not found

Maria Valeria Brock

Republican
On ballot as
MARIA VALERIA BROCK
Current role
Attorney, Harris County Attorney's Office
Background
  • Law degree, University of Houston (1990)
  • Licensed to practice law in Texas since 1990
Experience
  • Ran for 315th District Court (2022); did not win
  • Practice areas include family, juvenile, probate, business and commercial litigation (per State Bar)
Top priorities
Not found
Tidbits
  • Judicial philosophy: No public statement found
  • Court administration: No public statement found
Endorsements
  • Houston Police Officers' Union (shared endorsement)
  • The "C" Club of Houston
Campaign website
Not found
Leah Shapiro

Leah Shapiro

Democratic Incumbent
On ballot as
LEAH SHAPIRO
Current role
Judge, 315th District Court, Harris County
Background
  • Bachelor of arts in philosophy, New York University
  • Law degree, St. Mary's University School of Law
  • Fifth-generation member of a Galveston family (per campaign)
  • Grew up in Round Rock (per campaign)
Experience
  • Elected 2018; sworn in January 2019
  • Second term began 2023
  • Presides over CARE Court (specialty court serving victims of juvenile sex trafficking)
  • Member, Harris County Juvenile Board
  • Harris County Public Defender's Office, Juvenile Division (from 2011)
  • Began her career as an assistant district attorney, Harris County District Attorney's Office
Top priorities
  • "I strive each day to make decisions to provide the best outcomes for the family, youth, and community."
  • "All children and families, regardless of financial circumstances, deserve quality representation."
Tidbits
  • Judicial philosophy: "I strive each day to make decisions to provide the best outcomes for the family, youth, and community."
  • Court administration: Campaign site: "Eliminated backlog inherited in 2019 and ended 2025 with the lowest active caseload in the Juvenile Justice Center."
Endorsements
  • Houston Police Officers' Union (shared endorsement)
  • Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
  • Houston Association of Women Attorneys
  • Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus PAC (primary)
  • Bay Area New Democrats (primary)
Show all 18
  • Houston Chronicle (primary)
  • Lesley Briones, County Commissioner, Precinct 4 (primary)
  • Adrian Garcia, County Commissioner, Precinct 2 (primary)
  • Gene Wu, Texas State Representative (primary)
  • Emmanuel Guerrero, Council Member, District C, Pasadena (primary)
  • Area 5 Democrats (primary)
  • Asian Texans for Justice Action Fund (primary)
  • Bay Area Democratic Movement (primary)
  • The Greater Heights Democratic Club (primary)
  • Harris County Tejano Democrats (primary)
  • Houston Black American Democrats (primary)
  • Houston Progressive Caucus (primary)
  • Mexican-American Bar Association of Houston (primary)
Campaign website
judgeleahshapiro.com