Monique Diaz, 41, was elected to the 150th Civil District Court in 2018. She also serves as co-chair of the county’s Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence. She previously worked in private practice and served as a Democratic precinct chair. She is unopposed in her bid for a third term.
Hear from the candidate
1. Please tell voters about yourself.
I was born and raised in San Antonio by my Puerto Rican mother and Dominican father who taught me Spanish as my first language. Growing up, I understood firsthand the financial challenges and inequities many families face. Yet, from a young age, my family instilled in me a deep sense of gratitude, and a responsibility to serve others. I was acutely aware of my blessings: that not all children grow up with the same access to education, safety, opportunity, and love.
So, I made it my life mission to help children and families in need. I worked with low-income families receiving Head Start grants in college, and continued helping indigent families after opening my own firm. I became recognized as a member of the Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas for providing pro bono services to families in need, while also volunteering on campaigns affecting disadvantaged families.
I mentor youth, including through Big Brothers Big Sisters, and I regularly donate my time and treasure to resource drives for the underprivileged. My husband and I are blessed with two children. We enjoy attending church, teaching each other Spanish, and playing with our rescue cat Abby.
2. Describe your educational background.
I am a proud product of public schools in San Antonio, where I graduated from Churchill High School in 2003. In 2006, I was the first in my family to graduate from college with my B.A. in Sociology from UT-Austin.
In 2009, I received my J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law, where I competed on the nationally recognized Mock Trial Team. As an attorney, I became a member of the Texas Bar College, a group of lawyers recognized for our commitment to exceeding continuing legal education requirements.
Since then, I have had the honor of teaching law students, fellow judges, and attorneys about trial advocacy and family violence, including as an adjunct professor and National Trial Team Assistant Coach at St. Mary’s University School of Law. Most recently, in 2022, I also received a certification in Trauma Informed Advocacy from the Mitchell Hamline School of Law.
3. Describe your professional experience, what type of law you’ve practiced and noteworthy accomplishments.
I have served as Judge of the 150th Civil District Court since 2019, where I’ve presided over thousands of hearings, bench trials, and jury trials on disputes regarding family law, protective orders, contracts, personal injury, titles, and more. I am a founding Co-Chair of the Collaborative Commission on Domestic Violence (“CCDV”), and I serve as Co-Chair of Bexar County’s Children’s Court Oversight Committee, a member of our Juvenile Probation Board and our Purchasing Agent Board, among others.
Through the CCDV, I spearheaded the creation of Bexar County’s first civil firearm transfer process to remove prohibited firearms in domestic violence cases, and the funding of our first Civil Family Violence Prevention Program, providing firearm compliance and wraparound support to families. In 2023, I was recognized as the “Jurist of the Year” by the St. Mary’s University School of Law Hispanic Law Alumni Association.
Before taking the bench, I owned my own law firm for almost a decade, representing families, survivors, small businesses, nonprofits and governmental agencies, including as City Attorney and City Prosecutor for municipalities statewide. I previously served on the Mayor’s Commission on the Status of Women, the Maestro Entrepreneur Center board, as a precinct chair, and on other boards.
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?
Although I am a civil district court judge and do not preside over criminal cases, the principles of accountability, fairness, and rehabilitation guide my work every day, and they are not mutually exclusive. In civil matters, particularly those involving families, family violence, and vulnerable individuals, I focus on holding parties accountable while ordering solutions that promote healing, long-term stability, and compliance. Through my work on family violence initiatives and trauma-informed practices, I helped develop cutting-edge approaches that prioritize safety, responsibility, and meaningful behavior change, like the Civil Family Violence Prevention Program (FVPP).
I utilize FVPP to increase compliance with orders, including firearm prohibitions, by providing processes and staff to follow up on compliance in a previously nonexistent manner. FVPP also increases access to resources proven to improve outcomes, like the Batterers Intervention and Prevention Program, lethality assessments, wraparound services including counseling for family members, and resources like housing, food stamps, and transportation. When compliance processes are in place, basic needs are met, and trauma is addressed, we improve safety outcomes for litigants and for the community. Our system works best when judges uphold the rule of law while also addressing underlying issues that bring people into court, expectantly reducing recidivism.
5. Why are you seeking this office, and why did you decide to be a candidate in the political party you chose?
I am seeking a third term to continue serving the people of Bexar County with impartiality, independence, and integrity, particularly as our judiciary faces increasing public pressures. I’ve always known that I wanted to help families and people in need, and that has been my career focus. So, when the opportunity arose to serve my community on a greater scale, and to improve how our elected officials treat those whom we are elected to serve, I decided to run for judge.
When I first sought this office in 2018, national rhetoric was often divisive and dismissive, and that climate has only intensified. The judicial branch has a responsibility to re-center our society by upholding civility, humanity, and the rule of law, while playing a critical role in our system of checks and balances. I seek to continue showing people the dignity and respect that every human being deserves, in the place that often serves as one’s last line of defense, especially when fundamental rights and civil liberties are at stake.
My decision to run as a democrat reflects my lifelong commitment to principles that prioritize fairness, access to justice, the rule of law, and respect for diverse communities, like ours.
