Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legal Defense topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Chief public defender named: Judge Genesis Draper to lead Harris County Public Defender's Office
Summary
The Commissioners Court appointed Judge Genesis Draper, currently presiding in Criminal Court at Law No. 12, to become Harris County's chief public defender. The court directed HR and OCA to support the transition and seek a replacement for the bench seat.
Harris County Commissioners voted Tuesday to appoint the Hon. Genesis Draper, currently judge of Criminal Court at Law No. 12, as the county's chief public defender.
Judge Draper, a former public defender with more than a decade of experience in indigent-defense practice and six years on the bench, told the court she accepted the role and said she was committed to defending due process and enhancing the office's capacity. The court asked Harris County Human Resources & Talent and the Public Defender's Office board to coordinate onboarding and to provide feedback to candidates not selected. The court also directed the Office of County Administration to work with court offices and HRT to identify a replacement for Judge Draper's bench seat by June 26, 2025.
Commissioners praised Judge Draper's record as a public defender and as a judge and thanked the outgoing founding chief for his work building the Public Defender's Office. The vote to appoint Draper to the senior administrative role was unanimous among present commissioners.
Why it matters: The appointment places a sitting judge with public-defender experience at the helm of an office that county leaders said must expand representation while maintaining quality under tight budget and legal constraints. Commissioners emphasized the need for a smooth transition and asked staff to produce a staffing and onboarding plan.
