Meredith Chacon worked in the Bexar County District Attorney’s office for 15 years, and is now in private practice. She’s running as a Democrat, but previously sought the Republican nomination for District Attorney in 2022.
Hear from the candidate
1. Please tell voters about yourself.
I am 51 years old and have lived in San Antonio since 1989. I am married to my husband, Ray, and we have been together for more than 26 years. I am the proud mother of two grown children, both raised here in Bexar County. San Antonio is not just where I work—it is my home.
I am an Air Force brat; my father served for 25 years, instilling in me the values of service, discipline, and accountability. My family has been in Texas for generations. I graduated from James Madison High School, earned my undergraduate degree from the University of the Incarnate Word—where I met my husband—and received my law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law, all in San Antonio.
I began my career at the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office in 1999 and spent most of the next two decades there as a prosecutor handling serious felony cases, including child abuse, domestic violence, and human trafficking. Today, I am a managing partner at Chacon, Campbell & Alexander, PLLC, continuing my commitment to public service and public safety.
2. Tell us about how long you’ve been practicing law, areas of expertise and prosecutorial experience, if any.
I have practiced law for more than 22 years, with extensive experience as a prosecutor and as a defense attorney. I spent the majority of my career in the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office prosecuting cases involving child abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking. I also represented Child Protective Services in abuse and neglect cases, giving me deep insight into child welfare and family safety.
After leaving the DA’s Office, I continued my public service work at ChildSafe, where I served on the first statewide multidisciplinary team focused on developing best practices for the investigation and prosecution of child abuse. From 2018- 2022, I served on the Bexar County Child Welfare Board. Currently, I am a criminal defense attorney and child welfare attorney, serving children and families involved in the CPS system, and act as defense counsel for Esperanza Court, where we serve individuals impacted by prostitution, and it’s resulting trauma.
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.
In my first 100 days, my focus will be stabilizing the office, supporting prosecutors, and restoring efficiency, accountability, and trust. That work begins by listening—meeting with staff at every level to understand workload challenges, morale issues, and resource gaps. Retention and recruitment will be immediate priorities, including reassessing caseload distribution, supervisory support, and training opportunities.
A key early reform will be implementing 24-hour intake so prosecutors are reviewing cases in real time. Early and consistent prosecutorial review improves evidence quality, strengthens cases at filing, reduces downstream problems, and ensures the right cases are charged appropriately from the start—particularly violent crimes, repeat offenders, and cases involving vulnerable victims.
I will also strengthen collaboration with law enforcement, courts, and community partners to improve case flow and accountability. My experience leading multidisciplinary teams has shown me that coordination and communication—not just policy—drive results.
The goal in the first 100 days is clear and non-negotiable: stabilize the office, support prosecutors, aggressively prioritize communication with victims, and move cases forward with justice as our primary objective.
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?
I believe in a justice system that is both firm and fair—one that prioritizes public safety while recognizing that accountability and rehabilitation are not mutually exclusive. Violent crimes, repeat offenders, and offenses involving vulnerable victims must be prosecuted consistently and decisively. Community safety and victim protection are non-negotiable.
At the same time, not every case requires the same response. For certain non-violent offenders, particularly those driven by substance abuse, mental health issues, or poverty, evidence-based diversion and rehabilitative programs can reduce recidivism and make our community safer in the long term. Prosecutors should have the discretion—and the guidance—to make decisions based on facts, risk, and outcomes, not ideology.
My career has given me experience on every side of the system: prosecution, child welfare, and private practice. That perspective informs a balanced approach that values accountability, respects victims, and uses rehabilitation strategically where it improves public safety and long-term outcomes.
5. In a crowded field of candidates, what differentiates you from the others running?
What differentiates me from the other candidates is the depth and breadth of my experience and the trust I have built across systems that impact public safety. I have spent my career working alongside law enforcement, first responders, Child Protective Services, and community partners to protect victims and hold offenders accountable. I have not only prosecuted serious cases, but also led multidisciplinary teams, trained professionals across agencies, and strengthened collaboration at both the local and statewide levels.
I bring experience from every side of the justice system—victim advocacy, prosecution, child welfare, defense, and private practice—which allows me to lead with perspective, balance, and credibility. I am running to restore stability, strengthen partnerships, and ensure the District Attorney’s Office operates with integrity, transparency, and a clear focus on public safety and justice for victims.
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