County criminal courts handle misdemeanors, the less serious crimes, such as traffic offenses. Brian Bolton, the Republican judge of Court No. 9, was a chief prosecutor in Dallas County and a defense attorney before taking the bench.
Bolton spent two years as a chief prosecutor in the Dallas County District Attorney's office and also worked as a defense attorney. He studied philosophy at the University of Memphis and earned his law degree at Texas A&M. He was elected in 2022 and says he has worked to keep the court fair and efficient.
Judges aren't allowed to take sides on these values — it's against judicial ethics rules. The best clue to how a judge thinks is the party they run with.