Amber Givens-Davis
Amber Givens-Davis (Democratic Party) is running for election for Dallas County District Attorney in Texas. She is on the ballot in the Democratic primary on March 3, 2026.[source]
Givens-Davis (Democratic Party) was a judge of the Texas 282nd District Court. She assumed office in 2014. She left office on December 5, 2025.
Education
Givens-Davis received her undergraduate degree from Tuskegee University and her J.D. from the Syracuse University College of Law.[1]
Career
Givens-Davis worked as an assistant district attorney in the Dallas County District Attorney's office before her election.[1]
Awards and associations
- Moot Court Honor Society
- East Dallas Boys and Girls Club
- Advisory Board of the Oak Cliff Boys and Girls Club
- AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps
- Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
- International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition
- Texas District & County Attorneys Association[1]
Elections
2026
See also: Municipal elections in Dallas County, Texas (2026)
General election
The primary will occur on March 3, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. General election candidates will be added here following the primary.
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Democratic primary
The candidate list in this election may not be complete.
Democratic primary for Dallas County District Attorney
Incumbent John Creuzot (D) and Amber Givens-Davis (D) are running in the Democratic primary for Dallas County District Attorney on March 3, 2026.
Candidate | ||
| John Creuzot | ||
| Amber Givens-Davis | ||
| ||||
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Endorsements
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2022
See also: Municipal elections in Dallas County, Texas (2022)
General election
The general election was canceled. Incumbent Amber Givens-Davis won election in the general election for Texas 282nd District Court.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas 282nd District Court
Incumbent Amber Givens-Davis defeated Teresa Hawthorne and Andy Chatham in the Democratic primary for Texas 282nd District Court on March 1, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Amber Givens-Davis | 52.5 | 61,702 | |
 | Teresa Hawthorne | 34.1 | 40,054 | |
| Andy Chatham | 13.3 | 15,668 | ||
| Total votes: 117,424 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
General election
General election for Texas 282nd District Court
Incumbent Amber Givens-Davis won election in the general election for Texas 282nd District Court on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Amber Givens-Davis (D) | 100.0 | 471,544 | |
| Total votes: 471,544 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Texas 282nd District Court
Incumbent Amber Givens-Davis advanced from the Democratic primary for Texas 282nd District Court on March 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Amber Givens-Davis | 100.0 | 94,763 | |
| Total votes: 94,763 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2014
See also: Texas judicial elections, 2014
Givens-Davis ran for election to the 282nd District Court.
Primary: She was successful in the Democratic primary on March 4, 2014, receiving 64.5 percent of the vote. She competed against Andy Chatham.
General: She was unopposed in the general election on November 4, 2014.
[2][3][4]
Selection method
- See also: Partisan election of judges
The judges of the Texas District Courts are chosen in partisan elections. They serve four-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving.[5]
Though Texas is home to more than 400 district courts, the courts are grouped into nine administrative judicial regions. Each region is overseen by a presiding judge who is appointed by the governor to a four-year term. According to the state courts website, the presiding judge may be a "regular elected or retired district judge, a former judge with at least 12 years of service as a district judge, or a retired appellate judge with judicial experience on a district court."[6]
Qualifications
To serve on the district courts, a judge must be:
- a U.S. citizen;
- a resident of Texas;
- licensed to practice law in the state;
- between the ages of 25 and 75;*[7]
- a practicing lawyer and/or state judge for at least four years; and
- a resident of his or her respective judicial district for at least two years.[5]
*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[5]
Campaign themes
2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
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Campaign website
Givens-Davis' campaign website stated the following:
Evidence-Ready Prosecution Standard
The Problem We Share
In Dallas County, victims, families, and accused individuals all feel
the consequences of a system without structure. Texas law requires
prosecutors to turn over evidence “as soon as practicable,” but it doesn’t define timelines, responsibilities, or oversight.
That vagueness creates:
- Delays
- Inconsistency
- Backlogs
- Stalled investigations
- Eroded trust
And for too long, our community has been left waiting while cases move forward without the facts needed to ensure fairness. We’re not accepting minimum requirements as the ceiling.
Under Amber’s leadership, the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office will go above and beyond what Texas law requires — replacing vague expectations with clear timelines, real accountability, and proactive communication. Because our community deserves a justice system that moves with discipline, serves people instead of pressure, and reflects the truth from day one.
We all deserve a system built on facts, not politics. And we’re building one that finally reflects that truth.
The Solution: Evidence-Ready Prosecution
The Evidence-Ready Prosecution Standard establishes a disciplined, transparent, and accountable structure for every case. It ensures prosecutors begin with complete information instead of trying to fix problems months or years later.
Core Commitments:
- All evidence identified at the start of each case
- Immediate written evidence requests
- Structured 30-, 60-, and 90-day reviews
- Timely updates to victims and defense counsel
- Cases advanced based on facts — not assumptions, delay, or political pressure
This standard restores accountability, transparency, fairness, and public trust.
How the Standard Works
30-Day Review
A formal check to determine:
- What evidence has been received
- What is still outstanding
- Whether investigative steps are complete
This ensures cases are actively monitored — not passively delayed.
60-Day Review
At 60 days:
- Cases lacking key evidence trigger supervisory review
- Any delays are documented with clear justification
- Victims receive updated information
- Defense counsel receives updated disclosures
This stage keeps communication timely and oversight real.
90-Day Decision Point
By day 90, prosecutors must decide whether to:
- Indict — evidence is complete and legally sufficient
- Decline — evidence is inadequate or fails to meet legal standards
- Extend with justification — rare, supervised, and time-limited
This brings discipline, efficiency, and fairness to the prosecution process — holding the office accountable to the people it serves.
Our Promise
From day one, Amber Givens will ensure Dallas County prosecutions are evidence-ready, truth-driven, and aligned with the Supreme Court’s mandate that prosecutors must seek justice — not simply win cases.
Justice must rest on truth.
This is what it means to do justice.
This is what Dallas County deserves.
Community Justice Councils
Why Community Matters
Justice Shaped With the People
Dallas County is home to people who believe in fairness, dignity, and accountability. But for too long, major decisions about safety and prosecution have been made without the voices of the communities who live with the consequences.
That gap created distrust — and a justice system that feels distant from the people it serves.
Community Justice Councils change that.
What Community Justice Councils Are
Local voices. Real power. Shared accountability.
Monthly working groups made up of impacted residents, faith leaders, service providers, advocates, public safety partners, and legal stakeholders — all at the same table.
Their purpose is simple:
- Create transparency
- Strengthen accountability
- Build justice from the ground up
What Each Council Does
Practical. Structured. Rooted in lived experience.
Every council will:
- Review case trends and disparities
- Identify community impacts of prosecution priorities
- Flag concerns related to evidence, communication, and transparency
- Shape recommendations for diversion, re-entry, youth justice, and victim services
- Build real-time feedback loops between the community and the DA’s Office
This is not symbolic engagement — it is shared governance of justice.
How Councils Connect to Evidence-Ready Prosecution
Community Justice Councils ensure justice policy is informed by the people most impacted by it. These councils bring community voices directly into decision-making to guide priorities, reforms, and accountability.
Core Commitments:
- Community representation from diverse backgrounds and lived experiences
- Regular forums for dialogue, feedback, and shared problem-solving
- Policy recommendations grounded in real community needs
- Ongoing collaboration between prosecutors and residents
- Transparency through public reporting and engagement
This approach ensures justice is shaped with the community — not imposed on it.
Why This Moment Matters
Dallas County cannot afford another decade of decisions made in the shadows — where communities feel unheard, victims feel unsupported, accused individuals feel abandoned by a system they cannot navigate, and residents feel disconnected from the justice meant to protect them.
Community Justice Councils respond to this moment by:
- Opening the doors of the DA’s Office
- Creating formal structures for oversight
- Making justice transparent, participatory, and accountable
This isn’t reform.
It’s a new way of governing justice in Dallas County.
And it reflects Amber Givens’ belief that justice is strongest when the community helps shape it.
Diversion & Restoration Programs
Why Diversion Matters
Dallas County is full of people who want the same things: safety, stability, and the chance for growth — not a system that permanently punishes people for moments of crisis or struggle.
For too long, our justice system has relied on one response: punishment. And our communities have paid the price — young people pulled deeper into the system, people with mental health or substance-use needs criminalized instead of supported, and low-level offenses turning into lifelong barriers.
Our community knows better. We deserve a justice system that does better.
Diversion isn’t about excusing harm — it’s about preventing it by addressing root causes, not repeating the same failures.
What Diversion Looks Like Under Amber Givens
Amber’s Diversion & Restoration strategy creates structured, accountable pathways that reduce harm and increase safety.
Diversion programs under her leadership will be:
- Evidence-Based — built on models proven to reduce reoffending
- Trauma-Informed — recognizing the impact trauma has on conduct
- Accountability-Focused — clear expectations and progress checks
- Community-Centered — shaped with experts, providers, and Community Justice Councils
Key Diversion Pathways
- Youth Diversion: Keep young people from being
- defined by early mistakes through mentorship, conflict resolution,
- school support, and family engagement
- Mental Health Response: Redirect individuals into treatment and stabilization instead of jail
- Substance Use Intervention: Address addiction as a health issue to reduce repeat offenses
- First-Time & Low-Level Offenses: Use structured service plans, education modules, and restorative practices to resolve harm without unnecessary criminalization
How Diversion Strengthens Safety
True public safety isn’t about how many people we lock up — it’s about how many people we keep from coming back.
Diversion reduces repeat offenses, protects resources for serious cases, strengthens families, and helps people build stable futures.
Smart justice is safer justice.
A Justice System Rooted in Redemption
Amber Givens’ life and career have shown her that accountability and compassion are not opposites — they are partners.
Diversion is not softness. It is strategy. Discipline. Prevention.
It is how communities heal instead of being harmed again.
This is justice grounded in facts, humanity, and hope.
This is justice shaped by the belief that people can grow.
This is the justice Dallas County deserves.
Transparent Policies
Why Transparency Matters
Dallas County is home to people who value fairness, honesty, and accountability. But for too long, the justice system has operated behind closed doors — leaving victims, families, and accused individuals confused, uninformed, and unsure whether justice is being done at all. People don’t lose trust because they disagree with decisions. They lose trust because they can’t see how decisions are made.When policies are hidden, plea deals feel arbitrary, delays feel
intentional, disparities feel concealed — and whole communities feel shut out. This isn’t a communications problem. It’s a justice problem.
What Transparency Looks Like
Under Amber Givens, the DA’s Office will publish clear, public, accessible policies so people know exactly how justice works in Dallas County.
Transparent policies will cover:
- Evidence Disclosure Standards — what must be obtained, when, and how it’s shared
- Plea Integrity Practices — when pleas can be offered and what must be disclosed first
- Grand Jury Standards — required materials, fairness safeguards, and public schedule access for defense counsel
- Diversion Eligibility & Requirements — consistent, public criteria and accountability
- Victim Communication Protocols — guaranteed timelines so victims are never left without answers
These policies won’t live in binders or hidden memos.
They will live in public view — for everyone.
Why Amber Leads With Transparency
Amber has seen firsthand how secrecy erodes trust: families blindsided by delays, victims left without updates, and accused individuals stuck in limbo. Those experiences shaped her belief that clarity is justice.
Her leadership is built on honesty, structure, and community accountability.
For Amber, transparency isn’t a talking point — it’s the operating principle.
The Moment We’re In
Dallas County cannot build trust if decisions stay hidden and accountability stays optional.
Transparent Policies meet this moment by:
- Setting predictable, public prosecution standards
- Eliminating secrecy around plea practices
- Clarifying evidence expectations
- Ensuring victims and accused individuals know what to expect
- Rebuilding trust through visibility and structure
This is how we restore trust.
This is how we build safety.
This is justice you can see.
— Amber Givens-Davis' campaign website (February 20, 2026)
2022
Amber Givens-Davis did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
See also
2026 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Amber Givens for the 282nd Judicial District Court, "About Amber Givens," accessed August 19, 2014
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2014 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County (A-L)"
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "2014 March Primary Election Candidate Filings by County (M-Z)" (Search "Dallas")
- ↑ Dallas County Board of Elections, "Democratic Party Primary Election March 4, 2014," March 11, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Texas," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ Texas Courts Online, "Administrative Judicial Regions," accessed September 12, 2014
- ↑ Texas State Historical Association, "Judiciary," accessed September 12, 2014
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