Travis County District Attorney

The Travis County District Attorney is the chief felony prosecutor for Travis County, Texas. The office operates under the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure and is responsible for prosecuting all felony offenses within Travis County jurisdiction, which includes the City of Austin and surrounding municipalities.

The DA is an elected, partisan position serving a four-year term. The office is one of the most scrutinized prosecution offices in Texas given Austin's political profile as the state capital and one of the fastest-growing counties in the country.

Objective Wire covers the Travis County DA's office as a primary accountability beat. The office produces public records including case filings, grand jury reports, and press statements that form the evidentiary basis for local investigative reporting. See Austin investigative coverage for OW reporting tied to this office.

Travis County was established by the Republic of Texas in 1840, and the elected DA position has existed in some form since the county's founding. The office has evolved from a single part-time attorney into a full department with specialized divisions covering violent crime, child protection, mental health diversion, and civil rights.

The physical seat of the office is the Ronald Earle Building at 416 West 11th Street, Austin, TX 78701, named after Ronnie Earle, who served as Travis County DA from 1976 to 2008 and was known for high-profile prosecutions of public officials.

The DA's office operates under the oversight of the Travis County Commissioners Court for budgetary purposes but maintains prosecutorial independence under Texas law. Public contact for records and general inquiries is TCDAPublic@traviscountytx.gov.

Jose P. Garza was first elected Travis County District Attorney in November 2020, defeating incumbent Margaret Moore in the Democratic primary before running unopposed in the general election. He took office on January 1, 2021 and was re-elected to a second four-year term in November 2024, beginning that term on January 2, 2025.

Before running for DA, Garza served as the legal director of the Texas Defender Service, a nonprofit focused on capital defense and criminal justice reform. His platform in 2020 centered on reducing mass incarceration, prosecutorial accountability, and expanding diversion programs for low-level and mental health cases.

As DA, Garza has faced criticism from state officials over his office's charging decisions in high-profile cases, including a 2026 coalition effort in which his office joined other Texas DAs to assert jurisdiction to prosecute federal law enforcement officers who violate state law within Travis County.

Garza's office is located at the Ronald Earle Building and he can be contacted via the official DA public contact: TCDAPublic@traviscountytx.gov.

The Travis County DA's office is organized into specialized divisions. As documented on the official website and in public records:

• Trial Court Division - Primary felony prosecution division handling the full docket of serious criminal cases.
• Special Victims Division - Handles sexual assault, family violence, and human trafficking cases with dedicated prosecutors and investigators.
• CPS, Child Abuse, and Child Protection Team - Coordinates with Child Protective Services on criminal prosecutions involving child victims.
• Victim Services Division - Provides direct services to crime victims including advocacy, court accompaniment, and referrals.
• Mental Health and Pre-Indictment Units - Handles diversion programs for defendants with serious mental illness, directing cases toward treatment rather than incarceration where appropriate.
• Violence Prevention and Youth Justice Division - Focuses on juvenile criminal cases and community-based intervention programs.
• Civil Rights Litigation - Handles civil commitment petitions and civil rights enforcement matters.
• Investigations Division - In-house investigators supporting felony prosecutions, public integrity cases, and complex investigations.

The Travis County DA's office is subject to the Texas Public Information Act (Texas Government Code Chapter 552). The following records are generally accessible:

• Case filings - Criminal case filings are part of the public court record, accessible through the Travis County District Clerk.
• Press releases - Available directly on the DA's official website.
• Indictments - Grand jury indictments are public records once unsealed.
• Plea agreements - Filed as part of the court record and accessible via the District Clerk.
• Annual reports - The office publishes periodic reports on case outcomes and office operations.

Public records requests go to the General Counsel's office. The documented public contact is TCDAPublic@traviscountytx.gov.

Court records including criminal case filings, docket entries, and judgments are maintained by the Travis County District Clerk and searchable online at the Travis County District Clerk's public portal.

Objective Wire covers the Travis County DA's office as part of its Austin investigative beat. Coverage focuses on charging decisions, public integrity cases, civil rights prosecution, and accountability journalism related to the criminal justice system in Travis County.

Related coverage:

• Austin investigative news - OW's primary Austin coverage hub.
• Austin government directory - Other Travis County government entities documented by OW.
• Tip the Newsroom - Submit documents or tips related to the DA's office under full source protection.