Audrey Martinez received her law license in 2018. She’s worked as a prosecutor in the family division of the Bexar County District Attorney’s office, and as a prosector for Karnes and Atascosa counties. She’s challenging Judge Carlo Rodriguez Key in the Democratic primary.
Hear from the candidate
1. Please tell voters about yourself.
My name is Audrey Martinez. I am 33 years old. I have three children, one daughter, 5, and two sons, 2 years old and 11 months. I have been married to my husband for 7 years and (fun fact) we met at Oyster Bake. I’m born and raised on the South Side of San Antonio, where I still live today. I’m a first-generation college graduate and the proud granddaughter to a Vietnam Veteran and both my grandparents were founding members of the Fiesta Flambeau Association.
My community involvement includes being involved with the Fiesta Flambeau parade as well, going into schools and presenting for career day. I enjoy inspiring the future generation because without someone paving the way for me, I would not be where I am today.
Additionally, I coach my daughter in youth sports. Also in 2022, along with a friend of mine, I organized the Uvalde Strong 5k. All the proceeds from our race went into the Robb School Elementary Fund, where we raised over $15,000.
2. Describe your educational background.
I graduated from Incarnate Word High School in 2010. Then after that I attended the University of Texas at Austin for my Bachelor’s Degree. I went on to attend St. Mary’s School of Law in August 2015 and graduated in December 2017. I passed the February Bar in 2018 and have been a practicing criminal attorney since then.
3. Describe your professional experience, what type of law you’ve practiced and noteworthy accomplishments.
I have been a criminal attorney for nearly 8 years. I worked at the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, the 81st District Attorney’s Office, and am now a Criminal Defense Attorney. I have handled cases ranging from Class C Misdemeanors all the way up to First Degree Felonies. I tried cases including Murder, Aggravated Assaults, Aggravated Robberies and Child Abuse Cases and this involves from the initial investigation and seeing them all the way through final disposition, whether that be trial or by plea bargain.
One of my most notable cases was an Aggravated Robbery Charge, where the victims were an elderly couple and the husband suffered a life threatening gun shot wound after three individuals broke into their home. That case was very difficult due to the lack of scientific evidence and how we had to put the pieces together with the circumstantial evidence for trial. After the guilty verdict and arguing punishment, the Judge sentenced the Defendant to life in prison. Other notable accomplishments for me are the overall little victories I have achieved. I have enjoyed fighting for victims, whether its children, an individual in an abusive situation, or just someone who has been wronged. I enjoyed helping them get justice after they suffer through the unthinkable.
4. Philosophically, how do you balance the public’s desire for restitution in all types of crimes, while also providing a productive path forward for offenders who don’t pose a danger to the public?
I believe the way you balance the public’s desire for restitution with providing a productive path forward for offenders who are not dangerous to the public is through truly understanding why an individual is in court in the first place. When someone is in Court they are more than what is on an offense report, there are underlying reasons, especially on the misdemeanor level, for why someone is in Court and broke the law. Sometimes there are underlying issues such as drugs, mental health issues, poverty, and so we must decide the proper recourse and whether that underlying issue is being addressed. If the underlying issue goes unaddressed then the individual could end back up in the justice system and stuck in the cycle of reoffending.
There are situations where an individual has reoffended and refused to receive the help offered to them or a time where the act is truly awful, in these situations it may be more appropriate to hand down a harsher punishment but again outside situations must be considered. A blanket one size fits all approach to the justice system is not the answer so a Judge must be in tune with the community and know the issues affecting it.
5. Why are you seeking this office, and why did you decide to be a candidate in the political party you chose?
I decided to run for County Court #14 because this Court is the Animal Cruelty Court. In August 2024, I prosecuted a 3rd Degree Animal Cruelty Case, which was one of the worst animal abuse cases I have seen during my time as a prosecutor. In this case, the underlying reason the defendant chose to attack his wife’s dog was to hurt his spouse. I realized that animal abuse is often the beginning of an individual’s start down a criminal path. We must protect our animals as a vulnerable population but also to help this individual from furthering down a path of violence.
I’m running as a Democrat because I’m a born and raised Democrat. Growing up my grandma told me, “Mija, you’re a Democrat because Democrats help people.” I have carried her words with me to this day. I plan to be a Judge that helps the Community. One that presides over the Court without bias, prejudice or favoritism. A Judge that truly understands we are a Community. A Judge has to help the individual and help the San Antonio community to fix the issues and stop the cycle of reoffending.
