TRIAL WINNERS WEEK ENDING NOVEMBER 6, 2026
Prosecutors Katie Jenson, Lauren Watson, Samantha Barnhart, Aliyah Miller, Kayla Allen, Elizabeth Russell, Ethan Smith
Defense Attorneys Cornel Williams, Lance Hamm, Brandon Leonard, Julie Ketterman Webb, Max Patterson, Annie Williford
Congratulations on a job well done!
This week’s Harris County criminal jury trial results include guilty verdicts, not guilty verdicts, and other trial outcomes from courts throughout the Harris County Criminal Courthouse. ShowMeTheJustice.com updates these trial results weekly as part of its ongoing coverage of criminal justice in Houston, Texas.
Congratulations to Prosecutor Elizabeth Russell for earning a Guilty Verdict for the State of Texas.
Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child
Sentence: 50 Years in Prison
(judge Michele Oncken presiding – 338th Criminal District Court – jury trial – Cause #1848113) co-counsel Ethan Smith
Congratulations to Prosecutor Ethan Smith for earning a Guilty Verdict for the State of Texas.
Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child
Sentence: 50 Years in Prison
(judge Michele Oncken presiding – 338th Criminal District Court – jury trial – Cause #1848113) co-counsel Elizabeth Russell
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Julie Ketterman Webb for earning a Not Guilty Verdict for your client.
Assault on a Public Servant
(judge Emily Detoto presiding – 177th Criminal District Court – jury trial – Cause Number 1887202) co-counsels Annie Williford and Max Patterson
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Annie Williford for earning a Not Guilty Verdict for your client.
Assault on a Public Servant
(judge Emily Detoto presiding – 177th Criminal District Court – jury trial – Cause Number 1887202) co-counsels Julie Ketterman Webb and Max Patterson
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Max Patterson for earning a Not Guilty Verdict for your client.
Assault on a Public Servant
(judge Emily Detoto presiding – 177th Criminal District Court – jury trial – Cause Number 1887202) co-counsels Annie Williford and Julie Ketterman Webb
Congratulations to Prosecutor Aliyah Miller for earning Guilty Verdicts for the State of Texas.
Intoxication Manslaughter with a Vehicle and Failure to Stop and Render Aid
Sentence: 6.5 Years in Prison
(judge Andy Beall presiding – 185th Criminal District Court – jury trial – Cause #1927941 – 1947943) co-counsel Kayla Allen
Congratulations to Prosecutor Kayla Allen for earning Guilty Verdicts for the State of Texas.
Intoxication Manslaughter with a Vehicle and Failure to Stop and Render Aid
Sentence: 6.5 Years in Prison
(judge Andy Beall presiding – 185th Criminal District Court – jury trial – Cause #1927941 – 1947943) co-counsel Aliyah Miller
Congratulations to Prosecutor Samantha Barnhart for earning a Guilty Verdict for the State of Texas.
Super Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child
Sentence: Life in Prison without Parole
(visiting judge Wayne Mallia presiding – 486th Criminal District Court – jury trial – Cause #1915935) co-counsel Lauren Watson
Congratulations to Prosecutor Lauren Watson for earning a Guilty Verdict for the State of Texas.
Super Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child
Sentence: Life in Prison without Parole
(visiting judge Wayne Mallia presiding – 486th Criminal District Court – jury trial – Cause #1915935) co-counsel Samantha Barnhart
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Lance Hamm for earning a Not Guilty Verdict for your client.
Aggravated Sexual Assault
(judge Nata Cornelio presiding – 351st Criminal District Court – jury trial – Cause Number 1906216) co-counsel Brandon Leonard
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Brandon Leonard for earning a Not Guilty Verdict for your client.
Aggravated Sexual Assault
(judge Nata Cornelio presiding – 351st Criminal District Court – jury trial – Cause Number 1906216) co-counsel Lance Hamm
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Cornel Williams for earning a Not Guilty Verdict for your client.
Sexual Assault
(judge Ana Martinez presiding – 179th Criminal District Court – jury trial – Cause Number 1776217)
Congratulations to Prosecutor Katie Jenson for earning an In-Trial Plea for the State of Texas.
Felon in Possession of a Weapon
Sentence: 3 Years in Prison
(judge Stacy Allen Barrow presiding – 487th – jury trial – Cause Number 1951999)
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Sean Darvishi for earning a Not Guilty Verdict for your client in Montgomery County.
Boating While Intoxicated 2nd
(MONTGOMERY COUNTY judge Echo Hudson presiding – County Criminal Court at Law Number 4 – jury trial – Cause Number 26-403728) co-counsel Manny Guerra
Congratulations to Defense Attorney Manny Guerra for earning a Not Guilty Verdict for your client in Montgomery County.
Boating While Intoxicated 2nd
(MONTGOMERY COUNTY judge Echo Hudson presiding – County Criminal Court at Law Number 4 – jury trial – Cause Number 26-403728) co-counsel Sean Darvishi
ShowMeTheJustice.com is the leading independent source for Harris County criminal trial statistics, jury verdicts, attorney leaderboards, judicial activity, trial-setting dismissals, sentencing data, and courthouse news. Our database tracks thousands of criminal jury trials and continues to grow with weekly updates from the Harris County Criminal Courthouse.
Note: This scoreboard may not be 100% accurate as I could have missed some mistrials that occurred at the early stages of the trial or a quick court trial that lasted a couple of hours….. but it is close to 100%.
ALL LAWYERS VERDICTS SINCE 2017
Search and compare Harris County criminal trial results for prosecutors and defense attorneys from 2017 to the present. This easy-to-read spreadsheet tracks guilty and not guilty verdicts from Harris County criminal courts and allows users to quickly review individual attorney trial records and courtroom results. Find prosecutors and criminal defense lawyers by name and compare their reported jury and judge trial outcomes compiled by ShowMeTheJustice.com.
ALL CRIMINAL JUDGES TRIALS SINCE 2019
Search Harris County felony and misdemeanor criminal court trial and verdict results by judge from 2019 to the present. This easy-to-read spreadsheet tracks guilty and not guilty verdicts in criminal cases and allows users to compare trial outcomes before individual Harris County criminal court judges. Search judges by name and review their reported jury and judge trial results compiled by ShowMeTheJustice.com.
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Justin Harris for earning 15 “Not Guilty” Verdicts since 2017
Justin is NUMBER 7 on the “Rosster” of TRIAL LAWYERS WITH THE MOST WINS SINCE 2017
Leading Defense Attorneys for Winning Felony and Misdemeanor Verdicts since February 2017 – OVER 2,000 PRACTICING DEFENSE ATTORNEYS at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse (stats taken from above spreadsheet)
Note: The following spreadsheets, standings, charts, graphs and compilations may NOT be 100% accurate.
WEEKLY HARRIS COUNTY TRIAL SETTING DISMISSALS
ShowMeTheJustice.com recognizes the following Harris County criminal defense attorneys who obtained trial-setting dismissals this week. A trial-setting dismissal occurs when a criminal case is dismissed before jury selection, often after negotiations, further investigation, or other developments leading to dismissal of the charges.
This week’s GOLD STAR winning lawyers are: Julie Ketterman Webb, Jackie Carpenter, Kathryn Kahle, Austen Hobbs, Samiyah Jefferson (2 trial setting dismissals)
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Kathryn Kahle for earning a trial setting dismissal
Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child
230th Criminal District Court – Cause Number 1901094
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Austen Hobbs for earning a trial setting dismissal
Continuous Violence against the Family
497th Criminal District Court – Cause Number 1935038
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Kevin Wright for earning a trial setting dismissal
Aggravated Assault Family Member
176th Criminal District Court – Cause Number 1958682
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Julie Ketterman Webb for earning a trial setting dismissal
Murder
177th Criminal District Court – Cause Number 1887202
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Zohair Alam for earning a trial setting dismissal
Indecent Assault
Criminal Court at Law Number 8 – Cause Number 2610065
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Stacey Morgan for earning a trial setting dismissal
DWI
Criminal Court at Law Number 6 – Cause Number 2590189
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Jackie Carpenter for earning a trial setting dismissal
Murder
174th Criminal District Court – Cause Number 1922860
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Tiffany Bartley for earning a trial setting dismissal
DWI
Criminal Court at Law Number 3 – Cause Number 2604918
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Samiya Jefferson for earning a trial setting dismissal
Theft $750 – $2500
Criminal Court at Law Number 9 – Cause Number 2612655
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Samiyah Jefferson for earning a trial setting dismissal
Assault
Criminal Court at Law Number 9 – Cause Number 2613664
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Felicia Kerney for earning a trial setting dismissal
Reckless Driving
Criminal Court at Law Number 9 – Cause Number 2619621
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Jed Silverman for earning a trial setting dismissal
DWI
Criminal Court at Law Number 15 – Cause Number 2616596
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Mitchell Leonard for earning a trial setting dismissal
DWI
Criminal Court at Law Number 15 – Cause Number 2614963
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Jonathan Vela for earning a trial setting dismissal
Assault Family Member
496th Criminal District Court – Cause Number 1957682
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Rachel Johnson for earning a trial setting dismissal
DWI 3rd
182nd Criminal District Court – Cause Number 1961053
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Alex Tijerina for earning a trial setting dismissal
Assault Family Member
209th Criminal District Court – Cause Number 1986213
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Crystal Harrell for earning a trial setting dismissal
Aggravated Assault Family Member
174th Criminal District Court – Cause Number 1962895
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Jorge Garcia for earning a trial setting dismissal
Assault Family Member
497th Criminal District Court – Cause Number 1947747
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Alain Jayoma for earning a trial setting dismissal
Evading Arrest with a Vehicle
177th Criminal District Court – Cause Number 1930814
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Julie Ketterman Webb for earning a trial setting dismissal
DWI
Criminal Court at Law Number 15 – Cause Number 2604300
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Hans Nielsen for earning a trial setting dismissal
Theft of Metals
178th Criminal District Court – Cause Number 1942268
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Roger Tavira for earning a trial setting dismissal
Assault Family Member
Criminal Court at Law Number 15 – Cause Number 2612759
Show Me The Justice congratulates Defense Attorney Derrick Flemming for earning a trial setting dismissal
Aggravated Assault Family Member
487th Criminal District Court – Cause Number 1933542
ShowMeTheJustice.com provides weekly coverage of Harris County Criminal Courts, including jury trials, trial-setting dismissals, attorney leaderboards, courtroom statistics, judicial activity, and criminal justice trends.
PROSECUTOR LEADER BOARD 2026
Leading Prosecutors for Winning Felony and Misdemeanor Verdicts for 2026
November 6, 2026 – The race for the top spot continues! Congratulations to Harris County prosecutor Samantha Barnhart for reaching the top of the board alongside prosecutor Mikeala Morris with 10 guilty verdicts each. Close behind is Traemon Anderson with 9 guilty verdicts. Prosecutors with 8 guilty verdicts are Abeer Farid, Peter Uli and Nidia Ventura. Rankings are updated regularly by ShowMeTheJustice.com, featuring Harris County criminal trials in progress, criminal trial statistics, attorney leaderboards, verdicts, and courtroom news.
Visit ShowMeTheJustice.com for Harris County criminal jury trial results, attorney leaderboards, judge statistics, verdict trends, courthouse news, and comprehensive courtroom analytics.
DEFENSE LEADER BOARD 2026
Leading Defense Attorneys for Winning Felony and Misdemeanor Verdicts for 2026
November 6, 2026 – The competition among Harris County’s top criminal defense attorneys continues to intensify. Arienna Toh currently leads the field with 5 not guilty verdicts in 2026. Close behind is Brennen Dunn with 4 not guilty verdicts. 11 Defense Attorneys are close behind with 3 not guilty verdicts. The remaining attorneys on the leaderboard have each earned 2 jury trial victories, reflecting the depth of trial talent in the Harris County criminal courthouse. Rankings are updated regularly by ShowMeTheJustice.com based on publicly available jury trial verdicts.
Visit ShowMeTheJustice.com for Harris County criminal jury trial results, attorney leaderboards, judge statistics, verdict trends, courthouse news, and comprehensive courtroom analytics.
FELONY JUDGE LEADER BOARD 2026
All Elected Felony Judges and their trial totals for 2026
November 6, 2026 – 2026 Harris County Felony Trial Leaderboard – Jury trial activity remains strong throughout the Harris County felony courts. Judge Dan Simons has presided over more criminal jury trials than any other felony judge in 2026, with 31 trials completed. Judge Peyton Peebles has 17 trials, Judge Veronica Nelson and Judge Stacy Allen Barrow have 15 trials each and Judge Beverly Armstrong has 14 trials. The remaining judges on this leaderboard continue to maintain active criminal trial dockets, demonstrating the significant volume of felony jury trials occurring throughout the Harris County courthouse.
Visit ShowMeTheJustice.com for the latest Harris County criminal jury trial statistics, felony and misdemeanor judge leaderboards, prosecutor and defense attorney rankings, verdict trends, court dockets, and daily courthouse action.
MISDEMEANOR JUDGE LEADER BOARD 2026
All Elected Misdemeanor Judges and their trial totals for 2026
November 6, 2026 – 2026 Harris County Misdemeanor Trial Activity – Jury trial activity remains robust in the Harris County misdemeanor courts. Judge Andrew Wright has presided over more misdemeanor criminal jury trials than any other county criminal court judge in 2026, with 24 trials completed. Judge Erika Ramirez follows with 17 trials, while Judge Linda Garcia has 16 trials. The remaining judges on this leaderboard continue to maintain active misdemeanor trial dockets as they move criminal cases through the Harris County justice system.
Visit ShowMeTheJustice.com for the latest Harris County criminal jury trial results, misdemeanor and felony judge leaderboards, prosecutor and defense attorney rankings, verdict statistics, court dockets, and daily courthouse action.
VISITING JUDGE LEADER BOARD 2026
Visiting Judges and their trial totals for 2026
November 6, 2026 – 2026 Harris County Visiting Judge Trial Activity – Visiting judges remain an essential part of the Harris County criminal justice system, presiding over numerous jury trials throughout the year. Judge Lisa Burkhalter leads the pack with 13 trials, Judge Marc Brown has presided over 11 trials and Judge Vanessa Velasquez has presided over 10 trials. Their service helps ensure that criminal cases continue moving efficiently through one of the nation’s busiest court systems.
Visit ShowMeTheJustice.com for the latest Harris County criminal jury trial results, felony and misdemeanor judge leaderboards, visiting judge statistics, prosecutor and defense attorney rankings, verdict trends, court dockets, and daily courthouse action.
PROSECUTOR LEADER BOARD – Last 9 Years
Harris County Career Prosecutor Leaderboard for Winning Felony and Misdemeanor Verdicts since February 2017 Note: Prosecutors listed may no longer be working at the District Attorney’s Office
November 6, 2026 – Harris County Prosecutor Career Leaderboard – Since February 2017, hundreds of prosecutors have tried criminal jury cases in the Harris County Criminal Courthouse. Danielle Oxford currently holds the top position with 45 guilty verdicts, followed by Heather Axline with 34 guilty verdicts and Abraham Chopin with 30 guilty verdicts, while several other prosecutors continue to build impressive trial records. This leaderboard reflects sustained jury trial experience over nearly a decade and is updated regularly by ShowMeTheJustice.com.
These standings reflect the total number of guilty jury verdicts recorded for each prosecutor during the tracking period. They are intended as historical statistical information and do not measure conviction rates, overall case performance, or prosecutorial effectiveness.
Visit ShowMeTheJustice.com for Harris County criminal jury trial results, prosecutor and defense attorney leaderboards, judge statistics, verdict trends, courtroom news, and comprehensive criminal courthouse analytics.
2026 Harris County Misdemeanor Docket Report
Top 10 Misdemeanor Courts (out of 16 courts) for LOWEST docket totals through October 2026 (non pretrial intervention cases) – source: Harris County Courts Active Cases Report
October 2026 – 2026 Harris County Misdemeanor Docket Report – Pending criminal caseloads vary considerably among the County Criminal Courts at Law. Judge Jessica Padilla currently maintains the smallest pending misdemeanor docket with 846 active cases, while the largest misdemeanor docket contains 1,466 pending cases. Differences in docket size may result from numerous factors, including case assignments, filing volume, court scheduling, transfers, and the timing of case dispositions. These rankings provide a current snapshot of pending misdemeanor caseloads across the Harris County criminal courts through July.
Key Takeaways
- Jessica Padilla (CCL14) has the smallest pending misdemeanor docket with 846 active cases.
- Leslie Johnson (CCL3), Linda Garcia (CCL16), and Paula Goodhart (CCL2) also have fewer than 1,000 pending cases.
- The largest pending misdemeanor docket currently contains 1,466 active criminal cases.
- Docket sizes fluctuate throughout the year as new cases are filed and existing cases are resolved.
- Rankings are updated regularly using publicly available Harris County court records.
Note: Pending case totals represent a snapshot of each court’s active criminal docket on the date indicated. Docket size alone should not be interpreted as a measure of judicial performance or courtroom efficiency, as caseloads are influenced by factors such as new filings, case complexity, transfers, specialty court assignments, staffing, and the timing of case dispositions.
Visit ShowMeTheJustice.com for Harris County criminal court statistics, misdemeanor and felony docket reports, judge leaderboards, jury trial results, prosecutor and defense attorney rankings, verdict trends, and daily courthouse action.
2026 Harris County Felony Caseload Report
Top 10 Felony Courts (out of 29 courts) for LOWEST docket totals through October 2026 – source: Harris County District Criminal District Courts Dashboard
September 2026 – The 2026 Harris County Felony Docket Leaderboard ranks the Criminal District Courts by the number of active pending felony cases – through August. As of this update, Judge Matt Peneguy maintains the lowest pending felony caseload, followed by Judge Veronica Nelson, Judge Vanessa Velasquez and Judge Nata Cornelio. Felony docket totals fluctuate throughout the year as new indictments are filed, cases are transferred, trials conclude, pleas are entered, and other matters are resolved. These rankings are updated regularly using publicly available Harris County court statistics.
Key Highlights
- Matt Peneguy (488th District Court) currently has the lowest pending felony docket with 167 active cases.
- Nata Cornelio (351st), Veronica Nelson (482nd) and Vanessa Velasquez (486th) round out the top four lowest felony dockets.
- The largest felony docket currently contains 930 pending cases.
- Pending felony caseloads change regularly as cases are filed, transferred, disposed of, or set for trial.
- Rankings are updated periodically using publicly available Harris County court records.
Note: Pending felony case totals represent a snapshot of each court’s active docket on the date shown. Docket size alone should not be interpreted as a measure of judicial performance or efficiency. Caseloads are influenced by numerous factors, including new felony filings, case complexity, court assignments, transfers, staffing, and the timing of case dispositions.
Visit ShowMeTheJustice.com for Harris County criminal jury trial results, prosecutor and defense attorney leaderboards, judge statistics, verdict trends, courtroom news, and comprehensive criminal courthouse analytics.
HARRIS COUNTY CRIMINAL COURT STATISTICS — SEE THE NUMBERS BEHIND THE VERDICTS
Think you know what happens inside the Harris County Criminal Courthouse? The actual numbers may surprise you. HERE IS JUST A SAMPLE OF MY STATISTICS PAGE:
- What percentage of murder trials end in NOT GUILTY verdicts?
- What is the average sentence for a murder conviction?
- Which offense receives higher sentences – murder or child sex cases?
- Which criminal charges give the defense the best chance of winning at trial?
- How do verdict rates compare in murder, DWI, assault, robbery and child sex cases?
- How much of the courthouse caseload is handled by hired lawyers, appointed attorneys and public defenders?
EXPLORE THE HARRIS COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE BY THE NUMBERS →
Verdicts • Sentences • Judges • Prosecutors • Defense Attorneys • Trial Trends
CHECK OUT THE HARRIS COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE STATISTICS HERE!
FOR EXCITING LIVE VIDEOS OF HOUSTON CRIME IN PROGRESS VISIT GRIZZY’S HOOD NEWS AT GRIZZYSHOODNEWS.COM
HARRIS COUNTY FELONY COURTS DASHBOARD
HARRIS COUNTY MISDEMEANOR COURTS DASHBOARD
DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE DASHBOARD
OFFICE OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATION
HARRIS COUNTY COURTS FACEBOOK PAGE
HARRIS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE FACEBOOK PAGE
THEFT BY CHECK AND ISSUANCE OF A BAD CHECK TRIAL MANUAL
Great tips from the Harris County Court Reporters – click here!
I interviewed 12 experienced court reporters working the Harris County Criminal Courts and got their “inside information” on how jurors, lawyers and witnesses could improve in trial to make it easier for the court reporter to take down ALL the information required of them for a good record. THESE ARE SOME GREAT TIPS! (Interviews took place in 2019)
Visit ShowMeTheJustice.com for daily Harris County criminal trial results, attorney rankings, verdict statistics, judge leaderboards, and the latest courthouse action.