A San Antonio native, Diaz is seeking her second term as judge of the 150th District Court, practicing law for eight years before sitting on the bench. Last year she began presiding over Child Protective Services specialty courts that include the Family Drug Court and the Early Childhood Intervention Court. She is a graduate of the St. Mary’s University School of Law.
Hear from the candidate
Why should voters choose you?
Serving my community as judge of the 150th District Court has been one of the most rewarding honors of my lifetime. I worked hard to ensure everyone has access to justice and is treated with the dignity and respect they deserve, but I also believe public service requires us to go beyond the duties and responsibilities of the job, and think about how we can fundamentally change systems to better serve those who are neglected, abused or otherwise marginalized. That’s why I proudly co-chair the Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence, helped secure over $500,000 for Bexar County’s first CPS Court with a focus on family violence, continue to mentor the next generation of lawyers by teaching trial advocacy and coaching the National Trial Team at St. Mary’s Law School, and have taught judges across the nation as faculty for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.
What do you see as the top challenge facing our local court system, and how should it be addressed?
I’ve found many opportunities to improve our system, particularly through the collective efforts of the Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence and the partnerships we have developed among the stakeholders we convene. Together, we have developed Bexar County’s first Civil Family Violence Prevention Program, the first CPS Court with a concentration in family violence, and the first civil process to ensure abusers who are already prohibited under the law from possessing firearms are in fact surrendering them. But there is still so much more we can do to implement additional evidence-based strategies proven to reduce family violence, and to think critically about and continually enhance existing processes.
