Texas Ballot Compare

General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026

Nonpartisan voter guide · Texas

Judge, County Criminal Court at Law No. 14

Race · November 3, 2026 general election

Harris County
Vote for oneResearched · fact-checked
Jessica N. PadillaJessica N. PadillaRepublican Incumbent
Yahaira QuezadaYahaira QuezadaDemocratic
On ballot as
JESSICA N. PADILLA
YAHAIRA QUEZADA
Current role
Judge, Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 14 (elected 2022; since January 1, 2023)
Family Court Associate Judge, 246th District Court, Harris County
Background
  • B.A., Stephen F. Austin State University
  • J.D., South Texas College of Law
  • Sixth-generation Texan (per campaign)
  • City College of the City University of New York (2003)
  • Thurgood Marshall School of Law; licensed 2007
  • Born in the Dominican Republic (per campaign)
  • Moved to the Bronx, New York, at age 12 (per campaign)
Experience
  • Indigent defense, more than a decade (per campaign)
  • Served as a defense attorney with the STAR Drug Court (per campaign)
  • Harris County District Attorney's Office; start of career (per campaign)
  • Former Harris County Assistant District Attorney and juvenile public defender (per campaign)
  • Former criminal defense attorney and immigration attorney (per campaign)
  • Former adjudication hearing officer, City of Houston, and adjunct professor (per campaign)
  • Democratic primary (March 3, 2026): won over James Hu
Top priorities
  • "committed to efficiency, fairness, and ensuring that the judicial process moves forward without unnecessary delay"
  • "removing obstacles that hinder progress or access to resources"
  • "fairness, accountability and compassion"
  • "the importance of protecting public safety and promoting opportunity for everyone"
Tidbits
  • Judicial philosophy: Campaign site: her work emphasizes accountability and "removing obstacles that hinder progress or access to resources."
  • Court administration: Campaign site: "she has worked tirelessly to eliminate the backlog in her court and has consistently maintained one of the lowest dockets among the county's criminal courts."
  • Judicial philosophy: Campaign site: she would bring her experience to the court "with fairness, accountability and compassion."
  • Court administration: No public statement found
Endorsements
  • The "C" Club of Houston
  • Houston Police Officers' Union
  • Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
  • Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus
  • Houston Black American Democrats
Campaign website
judgejessicapadilla.com
votejudgequezada.com
Jessica N. Padilla

Jessica N. Padilla

Republican Incumbent
On ballot as
JESSICA N. PADILLA
Current role
Judge, Harris County Criminal Court at Law No. 14 (elected 2022; since January 1, 2023)
Background
  • B.A., Stephen F. Austin State University
  • J.D., South Texas College of Law
  • Sixth-generation Texan (per campaign)
Experience
  • Indigent defense, more than a decade (per campaign)
  • Served as a defense attorney with the STAR Drug Court (per campaign)
  • Harris County District Attorney's Office; start of career (per campaign)
Top priorities
  • "committed to efficiency, fairness, and ensuring that the judicial process moves forward without unnecessary delay"
  • "removing obstacles that hinder progress or access to resources"
Tidbits
  • Judicial philosophy: Campaign site: her work emphasizes accountability and "removing obstacles that hinder progress or access to resources."
  • Court administration: Campaign site: "she has worked tirelessly to eliminate the backlog in her court and has consistently maintained one of the lowest dockets among the county's criminal courts."
Endorsements
  • The "C" Club of Houston
  • Houston Police Officers' Union
Campaign website
judgejessicapadilla.com
Yahaira Quezada

Yahaira Quezada

Democratic
On ballot as
YAHAIRA QUEZADA
Current role
Family Court Associate Judge, 246th District Court, Harris County
Background
  • City College of the City University of New York (2003)
  • Thurgood Marshall School of Law; licensed 2007
  • Born in the Dominican Republic (per campaign)
  • Moved to the Bronx, New York, at age 12 (per campaign)
Experience
  • Former Harris County Assistant District Attorney and juvenile public defender (per campaign)
  • Former criminal defense attorney and immigration attorney (per campaign)
  • Former adjudication hearing officer, City of Houston, and adjunct professor (per campaign)
  • Democratic primary (March 3, 2026): won over James Hu
Top priorities
  • "fairness, accountability and compassion"
  • "the importance of protecting public safety and promoting opportunity for everyone"
Tidbits
  • Judicial philosophy: Campaign site: she would bring her experience to the court "with fairness, accountability and compassion."
  • Court administration: No public statement found
Endorsements
  • Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
  • Houston LGBTQ+ Political Caucus
  • Houston Black American Democrats
Campaign website
votejudgequezada.com

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