Stephanie Boyd is a Louisiana native who received her law degree from St. Mary’s University and was first elected to the 187th District Court in 2018. She also presides over a mental health court and served as president of the San Antonio Black Lawyers Association. She faces one challenger in the Democratic primary.
Hear from the candidate
1. Please tell voters about yourself.
The Honorable Stephanie Boyd is the Presiding Judge of the 187th Judicial District Court, a felony district court serving Bexar County, Texas. To qualify for this position, the presiding judge must reside in Bexar County. Judge Boyd is 58 years old.
Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, Judge Boyd was baptized in Grand Cane, Louisiana, at New Zion Baptist Church. From an early age, her grandmother and mother instilled in her the importance of history, hard work, and community. At just twelve years old, she obtained her first job selling Christmas cards door-to-door. During summer months, she rode her bicycle through the neighborhood — with a yard rake balanced on the handlebars — earning money by cleaning yards.
This year, at the request of Judge Ron Rangel, Judge Boyd was selected as Co-Presiding Judge of the Mental Health Court. She currently serves as a board member of SA100 and Gemini Ink, former member of the Inns of Court, former President of San Antonio Black Lawyers Association, former member of the Pi Sigma Alpha political honor society, 2020 recipient of the Bexar County Pioneer Award, member of the Order of Barristers and a Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, a charitable foundation that is the premier organization of Texas attorneys, and she is scheduled for induction into the San Antonio Women’s Hall of Fame.
2. Describe your educational background.
Judge Boyd’s educational background reflects a lifelong commitment to learning, teaching, and global awareness. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, followed by a Master of Business Administration, and later a Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s University School of Law. While in high school, she received a scholarship to attend a program in Paris, France, an early experience that broadened her cultural perspective and reinforced the importance of education and global understanding.
While in law school, Judge Boyd served as a professor’s assistant, conducting research related to the enforcement of the death penalty, which deepened her understanding of criminal law, constitutional principles, and the gravity of judicial decision-making. Her dedication to legal education has continued throughout her career.
Judge Boyd teaches Trial Advocacy, Appellate Law, and Campaign and Election Law at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). She has presented at numerous continuing legal education (CLE) programs on nearly every aspect of criminal law and has served as a director of several international legal continuing education courses, helping educate attorneys across jurisdictions. Earlier in her career, Judge Boyd also served as a librarian, further reflecting her respect for scholarship, research, and access to information—values that continue to inform her work on the bench and in the classroom.
3. Describe your professional experience, what type of law you’ve practiced and noteworthy accomplishments.
Judge Boyd has more than 30 years of experience in criminal law, beginning with her service as a student attorney practicing under a licensed attorney while in law school.
Her career reflects a rare breadth of experience, having served as a defense attorney, prosecutor, intake attorney, juror, and grand juror, giving her firsthand knowledge of every stage of the criminal justice system.
In 1997, Judge Boyd opened a private criminal law practice, representing adults, juveniles, and children, including victims of child abuse and neglect. She tried complex and high-profile cases as both a defense attorney and a prosecutor and, at the request of civil court judges, handled family law matters with criminal implications.
In 2015, Judge Boyd joined the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, serving as a first-chair prosecutor in the Special Crimes Unit, where she prosecuted child abuse and domestic violence cases. This role required extensive trial experience and a trauma informed approach to serious offenses.
As Presiding Judge of the 187th Judicial District Court, Judge Boyd has significantly reduced case backlogs while ensuring that every individual who exercises the right to a trial is promptly heard. Where appropriate, she designs probation terms that protect the community and promote rehabilitation. Parties appearing in her court know their cases will be heard expeditiously, fairly, and by a judge with more than three decades of experience in criminal law.
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?
As a judge, I recognize that the court’s primary responsibility is to protect the community and ensure that justice is served. At the same time, I strive to balance the public’s desire for restitution with providing productive opportunities for offenders who do not pose a danger. My decisions are guided by the evidence presented, and I approach each case objectively and without bias.
With more than 30 years of experience in criminal law, I am deeply familiar with specialty courts, treatment programs, and the complex issues of substance abuse and mental health that impact our community. This knowledge allows me to craft conditions of probation or alternative programs that prioritize rehabilitation while maintaining public safety.
I believe that holding offenders accountable does not preclude offering a path toward personal growth and societal contribution. By pairing appropriate supervision with rehabilitative measures, the court can reduce recidivism, support restorative justice, and ultimately protect future generations. My philosophy is that justice is most effective when it is fair, evidence-based, and balanced with opportunities for meaningful rehabilitation.
5. Why are you seeking this office, and why did you decide to be a candidate in the political party you chose?
Party affiliation does not influence the decisions I make as a judge. I believe judges should be impartial and nonpartisan, though under current law, we must declare a party. Much like one’s religious denomination, party affiliation is often shaped by family and upbringing. I am a Baptist and a Democrat, and I have remained consistent in both throughout my life.
I am running for my third term as Judge of the 187th District Court. I am proud to be the only African-American adult felony court judge in Bexar County and the first African-American woman to serve on the 187th District Court. Our judicial system clearly lacks diversity, and it is vital that it more accurately reflect the community it serves.
I am seeking this office to continue improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our court system, expand access to specialty courts and treatment programs, and advance reforms in the mental health system. My goal is to ensure that justice is fair, equitable, and responsive to the needs of both the public and those appearing before the court.
