In a rare and troubling series of disciplinary actions, the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct has issued both a public reprimand and a public admonition against Dallas County Judge Amber Givens, presiding judge of the 282nd District Court. The rulings stem from a series of incidents between 2020 and 2023 that involved unauthorized court actions, disrespect toward attorneys, and the violation of due process protections after she unlawfully jailed two individuals from cases she had been formally recused from.
Together, the findings depict a pattern of poor judgment, legal overreach, and questionable temperament that has cast a shadow over one of Dallas County’s most high-profile felony courts.
Reprimand: Unauthorized Zoom Hearing and Hostile Courtroom Behavior
The first sanction, a public reprimand issued in July 2025, followed a lengthy investigation into a 2021 virtual hearing in State v. Floyd Aaron. According to the findings, Judge Givens directed or allowed her court coordinator, Arceola Warfield, to conduct a Zoom hearing in her place—without disclosing the substitution to the parties or attorneys present.
The Zoom screen displayed a still image of Givens, and Warfield, allegedly impersonating the judge, was addressed as “Your Honor” without correction. She set bond conditions, including the use of an electronic monitoring device. The court reporter concluded the hearing by saying, “Judge, you forgot to say off the record,” at which point the voice—presumed to be Warfield’s—responded, “off the record.”
The case triggered an investigation by the Texas Rangers and was referred to the Kaufman County District Attorney’s Office after Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot recused himself. Though no criminal charges were filed, Kaufman County DA Erleigh Wiley described Givens’ conduct as “unprofessional and improper.”
Judge Givens repeatedly denied wrongdoing, publicly characterizing the investigation as a “false narrative” meant to undermine the progress she claimed to have brought to the judiciary. She also accused her critics, including the Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (DCDLA), of conspiring against her in a politically motivated smear campaign.
Compounding the situation, the Commission found that Givens gave testimony that conflicted with affidavits and phone records analyzed by the Texas Rangers. While she claimed to have participated in the hearing via speakerphone through Warfield’s cell phone, investigators concluded that the only call during the hearing was a brief eight-second voicemail left by Warfield to Givens—casting doubt on her version of events.
Misconduct Pattern Extended Beyond One Case
The Aaron hearing was only part of a larger misconduct pattern that prompted dozens of attorneys—both prosecutors and defense counsel—to file recusal motions against Givens. Many of the motions alleged bias, retaliation, and unprofessional conduct. Presiding Judge Ray Wheless ultimately granted the motions or accepted Givens’ voluntary recusals in dozens of pending criminal cases.
Judge Wheless also testified that Givens regularly failed to follow the mandated three-day deadline for acting on recusal motions, violating Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 18a(f)(1). Givens blamed the district clerk’s office for delays in notifications.
In an unusual twist, Givens submitted a secret audio recording of a phone call with Judge Wheless to support her claim that his decisions were politically influenced. The Commission found that her decision to secretly record a fellow judge without consent reflected poor judicial temperament and a lack of professionalism.
Admonition: Illegally Jailing Defendants in Recused Cases
A second disciplinary action—this one a public admonition issued concurrently in July 2025—found that Judge Givens unlawfully ordered the jailing of two individuals in cases from which she had been formally recused.
In the State v. Ivan Dequalan Paris case, Givens was recused in 2022, and Judge Michael Snipes was assigned to oversee the matter. But in November 2023, Givens ordered Paris jailed for 60 days following a disciplinary issue during a court-run empowerment program. Paris had been participating in the program as a condition of his probation. Despite her lack of authority in the case, Givens held a hearing and signed a jail sanction order. Paris spent six days in jail before Judge Snipes reversed the order.
Similarly, in State v. Samuel Navaenriquez, Givens had voluntarily recused herself in August 2022. Yet in July 2023, mistakenly believing a hearing was scheduled in her court, she ordered the defendant’s bond held insufficient and issued a warrant for his arrest after neither he nor his attorney appeared. In fact, the hearing was being managed by Judge Snipes, who had accepted a pass slip and waived the defendant’s appearance.
In both cases, Givens admitted that she issued the orders in error but claimed the county’s “Odyssey” case management system failed to reflect her recusal. She said she had asked the district clerk’s office to update the system months earlier and later raised the issue again in November 2023. That led Judge Wheless to issue a formal order to correct the records. The Commission acknowledged this explanation but found that Givens still bore responsibility for verifying her own authority before issuing incarceration orders.
Commission’s Findings and Legal Violations
Together, the Commission’s rulings found Judge Givens had violated multiple judicial canons, including:
- Canon 2A: Failing to comply with the law
- Canon 3B(1), 3B(2), 3B(4), 3B(5), and 3B(6): Failing to hear assigned cases properly, failing to treat attorneys and defendants with dignity, and showing bias or prejudice
- U.S. and Texas Due Process Clauses: Depriving individuals of liberty without lawful authority
- Article V, Section 1-a(6)A of the Texas Constitution: Engaging in willful and persistent conduct that discredits the judiciary
Looking Forward: Public Confidence in Question
The Commission noted that its actions were intended to “promote confidence in and high standards for the judiciary.” But in Dallas County, the back-to-back disciplinary measures—especially involving unlawful incarceration—may raise serious questions about whether Judge Givens can continue to preside over a felony docket with public trust intact.
While she continues to maintain that her critics are politically motivated, the Commission’s findings underscore a deeper concern: the responsibilities of a judge extend beyond partisanship and politics. They rest on a foundation of constitutional integrity, public accountability, and the unbiased administration of justice.
For now, Judge Amber Givens remains on the bench—reprimanded, admonished, and under the watchful eye of both the public and the state’s judicial oversight body.
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