Ashley Foster spent more than a decade with the Bexar County District Attorney’s office as a felony prosecutor, including in the white-collar crime division. Since leaving in 2012, she has been a partner at Foster & Foster.
Hear from the candidate
1. Please tell voters about yourself.
I am 52 years old. I earned my undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin, completed a master’s degree at the University of North Texas, and received my law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law.
Over the course of my career, I have worked at multiple points within the justice system, gaining firsthand insight into how prosecutorial decisions affect victims, defendants, and public safety. That experience—inside the system and outside of it—has shaped my belief that the District Attorney must lead an office grounded in practical judgment, consistency, and accountability.
I am running for District Attorney because the role is a public trust. The office must function every day, in every courtroom, with leadership that understands both the law and its real-world consequences.
2. Tell us about how long you’ve been practicing law, areas of expertise and prosecutorial experience, if any.
I have practiced law for 25 years, including more than 11 years as a prosecutor with extensive criminal courtroom experience. I prosecuted cases ranging from misdemeanors to complex white-collar crimes and served in the Criminal Trial Division handling the most serious felony offenses; including Capital Murder. That work required disciplined preparation and fast, defensible decision-making under scrutiny from judges, juries, and victims’ families.
In private practice, I became a civil trial lawyer representing individuals seeking accountability when the criminal justice system failed to deliver it. That perspective reinforced how prosecutorial decisions resonate long after a case concludes.
The District Attorney must lead prosecutors who try cases every day. Having done that work myself gives me the credibility and practical judgment required to lead the office effectively.
3. This office has been under stress in many ways, in terms of understaffing, case backlog and crimes committed by repeat offenders. Talk about your plans to make change in the first 100 days.
The District Attorney’s Office is under strain from staffing shortages, case backlogs, and repeat offenders cycling through the system. Those challenges require leadership grounded in courtroom reality, not abstract policy.
In my first 100 days, I will conduct a comprehensive staffing and case-flow audit focused on trial readiness—identifying stalled cases, overburdened divisions, and misallocated resources. Violent crime and repeat offenders will be prioritized immediately.
I will implement clear, written prosecutorial standards based on what actually holds up in court, ensuring charging decisions are consistent, defensible, and fair. Prosecutors perform best when expectations are clear and leadership is present.
I will also strengthen coordination with law enforcement so cases are filed promptly, prepared thoroughly, and ready for trial from the outset. That reduces delays, dismissals, and unnecessary strain on victims.
Finally, I will reset the culture of the office around accountability, professionalism, and results. Prosecutors deserve leadership that understands their work because it has done their work.
4. Talk about your philosophical approach to balancing the public’s desire to see all types of crimes prosecuted with the rehabilitative justice policies that provide a path forward for some offenders?
Balancing public safety with rehabilitation requires judgment informed by real courtroom experience. Without that grounding, policies become theoretical and outcomes become unpredictable.
Violent crimes and repeat offenders must be prosecuted decisively. Anyone who has tried serious felony cases understands the cost of inconsistency—to victims, to communities, and to public confidence.
At the same time, not every offender presents the same risk. Rehabilitative justice can be effective when it is earned, evidence-based, and applied to defendants who accept responsibility and pose minimal danger to the public. But those decisions must be individualized, not ideological.
Having stood in court, I know the difference between a case that is appropriate for diversion and one that will collapse under scrutiny—or worse, result in future harm. That perspective matters.
As District Attorney, I will reject blanket policies and insist on decisions grounded in facts, criminal history, and victim impact. Justice requires discretion guided by experience, not slogans.
5. In a crowded field of candidates, what differentiates you from the others running?
What differentiates me is real criminal courtroom experience paired with leadership perspective. I have prosecuted cases from misdemeanors to the most serious felony crimes, and I have represented people harmed when the system failed to act.
You cannot effectively lead prosecutors if you have never stood where they stand—before judges, juries, and victims—making decisions that cannot be undone. Courtroom experience teaches discipline, restraint, and accountability.
In a crowded field, many candidates speak in theories. I speak from experience. I understand what works in court, what doesn’t, and the consequences when leadership gets it wrong.
Bexar County deserves a District Attorney who can lead a working prosecutor’s office with credibility, clarity, and resolve.
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