The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct (SCJC) issued a public warning to Tarrant County Judge Jesus Nevarez for persistent sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior towards colleagues, resulting in mandatory judicial education and mentorship.

Tarrant County Judge Warned About Sexual Harassment
The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct has issued a public warning to Judge Jesus Nevarez, the presiding judge of the 231st District Court in Tarrant County, Texas. The Commission’s decision, made during its meeting on June 5-6, 2024, follows a comprehensive review of allegations that Judge Nevarez engaged in a pattern of sexually harassing behavior directed at his former colleague, Associate Judge Lindsay DeVos Slinkard, as well as other inappropriate conduct involving female attorneys and court staff.
Background and Allegations
Judge Nevarez, who has served as the judge of the 231st District Court since 2014, was brought under scrutiny after multiple reports of misconduct surfaced. The primary allegations centered on his interactions with Associate Judge DeVos, who served under Nevarez in the 231st District Court from May 1, 2014, until her resignation in August 2022.
The Commission’s findings paint a troubling picture of a judge who repeatedly overstepped professional boundaries, creating an uncomfortable and hostile working environment. Text messages exchanged between Nevarez and DeVos from December 2021 to June 2022 revealed a pattern of unprofessional communication. Nevarez frequently referred to DeVos using terms such as “babe,” “hon,” and “beautiful,” and expressed unsolicited affection, telling her that he loved her and texting her multiple days in a row without receiving any response.
In her audio-recorded resignation in August 2022, Judge DeVos detailed her experiences, further confirming the allegations. During the recording, Judge Nevarez continued to address her inappropriately as “baby” and attempted to dissuade her from resigning, claiming that he would hold onto her resignation letter in case she changed her mind. In a deeply personal statement, Nevarez admitted that he had “loved [her] forever.”
Witnesses and Additional Testimonies
The Commission’s investigation was bolstered by testimonies from confidential sources and other members of the legal community. Two sources confirmed witnessing inappropriate conduct by Judge Nevarez and reported that Judge DeVos had confided in them about the uncomfortable situations she had encountered.
Judge Lisa A. Beebe, a former Associate Judge of the 231st District Court, provided a crucial testimony, recounting her discussions with family law attorney Laura B. Alexander regarding Nevarez’s behavior. Alexander reported several instances of unwanted advances from Judge Nevarez, including receiving his personal cell phone number, being encouraged to contact him privately, and being sent a personal message on Facebook.
Moreover, Judge Beebe highlighted an incident that exemplified the perceived retaliatory nature of Nevarez’s actions. Alexander, who had mistakenly scheduled a hearing for 10:00 a.m. instead of 9:00 a.m., found that Nevarez had proceeded with the hearing in her absence—an unusual practice in Tarrant County family law courts. Nevarez allegedly suggested that he might not have done so if she had contacted him on his personal cell phone, a statement Alexander interpreted as punitive for her rejection of his advances. This led Alexander to take additional precautions, such as always being accompanied by a paralegal or another attorney when entering Nevarez’s courtroom.
Judge Nevarez’s Defense
During his testimony before the Commission on June 6, 2024, Judge Nevarez attempted to downplay the allegations. He described his relationship with Judge DeVos as a long-standing friendship that predated her appointment as Associate Judge. Nevarez acknowledged that his approach to DeVos did not change when she became his subordinate, admitting that he failed to establish a professional boundary and instead continued treating her as a friend.
Nevarez argued that the dynamic of their relationship shifted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, his duties with the Texas State Guard, and the increasing workload. He admitted to complimenting DeVos on her appearance, but contended that these comments were made in response to her allegedly informal court attire—an issue he never formally addressed with her or with Human Resources.
Significantly, Nevarez confessed to a long-standing habit of referring to women, including his court staff and female attorneys, with terms such as “babe,” “hon,” and “beautiful,” but maintained that he was never informed that these terms were inappropriate or made anyone feel uncomfortable. He also denied that his actions toward Ms. Alexander constituted sexual harassment, stating that his intention in giving her his cell phone number and messaging her was purely to mentor her as a young attorney.
The Commission’s Findings and Conclusion
After thoroughly reviewing the evidence and considering Nevarez’s testimony, the Commission determined that his actions were in clear violation of several key judicial standards. The Commission cited Canon 3B(4) of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct, which requires judges to be patient, dignified, and courteous to all individuals they interact with in their official capacity, as well as Canon 3B(6), which prohibits judges from exhibiting bias or prejudice, including that based on sex.
The Commission concluded that Nevarez’s conduct was not only inappropriate but also amounted to willful and persistent behavior that undermined the dignity of the judiciary and cast a shadow on the administration of justice. The findings highlighted that Nevarez’s continued use of demeaning terms, his unsolicited advances towards female colleagues and attorneys, and his failure to maintain professional boundaries constituted a severe breach of judicial ethics.
Sanctions and Recommendations
In light of these findings, the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct issued a public warning to Judge Nevarez. The Commission ordered him to complete four hours of additional judicial education within 60 days, focusing specifically on demeanor and sexual harassment. Furthermore, the Commission emphasized the need for Nevarez to work with a mentor, who would be assigned by the Texas Center for the Judiciary, to guide him through this additional training.
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