Judge Tonya Parker

Judge Tonya Parker will announce her fourth bid for re-election virtually on June 7 from 6-7 p.m. Parker is seeking her fourth term as Presiding Judge of the 116th District Court.

At the on-line reception, Parker and host Richard Sayles will discuss topics such as return to jury trials and her work as co-founder and chair of the Dallas County Civil District Courts Implicit Bias Taskforce.

In her written announcement, Parker wrote:

Today I announce that I am seeking re-election to the 116th Judicial District Court in Dallas County where I have served as the presiding judge for ten years. The global pandemic took us outside the courthouse for almost a full year. During this time, I reflected often on “who” and “what” makes a judge.

It is not the robe or the courtroom that make the judge, though they are important symbols of the work we do and the system we serve. What really matters is the dedication of the woman or man who puts the robe on each day. I am certainly not perfect and I make mistakes, but each day that I have held the privilege of presiding over the 116th Judicial District Court, I have consciously tried to be three things: fair, prepared, and dignified in the manner in which I approach and handle proceedings.

During my tenure, I have presided over hundreds of trials and thousands of hearings. I have earned a reputation for being impartial and prepared, and for offering and insisting on dignity to every court participant. Beyond the courtroom, I have endeavored to meaningfully contribute to our bar and the greater community by chairing the Implicit Bias Task Force of the Dallas County Civil District Courts and presenting at CLE programs and community events on topics that enrich the public’s knowledge of the law and advance the cause of justice.

If this note describes the type of person you want to see in a robe, I humbly ask for your support as I seek re-election to the 116th Judicial District Court in 2022.

Donations may not be accepted until May 17. To register to participate in the Zoom event, click here.

— David Taffet