The Kendall County District Attorney’s office is getting a reboot in preparation for the introduction of a county court at law, but it’s still unclear when the new court will take shape. However, Kendall County District Attorney Nicole Bishop has brought on two new prosecutors to ensure all cases are covered once there are two court rooms to try cases.
The DA’s office used to have more specialized attorneys who simply handled different case types, including a misdemeanor prosecutor, a special victims prosecutor, a drug and alcohol prosecutor and more. However, Bishop said she has hired two new general prosecutors to help the office straddle two courtrooms.
Assistant Criminal District Attorney Erica Bryant was hired last week while Alessandra Deike was brought in last year. Bryant will be covering misdemeanor cases and Deike will be covering felony cases. While some prosecutors will retain their more specialized roles, like Assistant DA Manuel Cardenas covering drug and alcohol offense and Assistant DA Nick Socias covering crimes involving special victims, the two new prosecutors will help ensure those specialized cases will be covered should one be happening in both courts at the same time.
Bishop said the two prosecutors will be able to handle several different types of cases, including drug cases or special victims cases should there be two similar cases being tried or heard at the same time in both the 451st District Court and the Kendall County Court at Law.
Bryant previously was a prosecutor in Bexar County covering human trafficking and family violence cases, where she began as a misdemeanor prosecutor in 2015 before working her way up through the ranks until last year.
“Between 2007 and 2013, I have been an executive assistant for a law firm, interned for the United States District Court – Southern District of Texas – and worked intake for Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid,” Bryant said. “I bring over eight years of experience with Bexar County District Attorney’s Office within the Misdemeanor and Felony Criminal Trial Division, Misdemeanor Jail Court, Misdemeanor and Felony Family Violence Division as well as CPS (Child Protective Services) Division. I have tried multiple cases throughout my career with the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office.”
Bryant moved to San Antonio from Laredo, Texas, for college, where she earned her first degree – a bachelor of arts in criminal justice – from the University of Texas in San Antonio in 2007. Bryant went on to earn her law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law in 2012. She passed the Texas Bar and gained her license to practice law in 2012.
“I look forward to being an assistant district attorney with Kendall County District Attorney’s Office,” Bryant said. “I hope to serve and protect the citizens of Kendall County.”
“Alessandra Deike will be part of the felony team handling general criminal trial cases,” a press release from Bishop’s office stated. “She earned her Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s University School of Law – 2011, and her bachelor of science in psychology from Texas A&M University – 2008.”
“Alessandra brings over 10 years of experience from the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office. She worked in multiple divisions, including the Human Trafficking Unit and the Family Violence Unit. As a resident of Kendall County, Alessandra is excited to bring her experience and passion for seeking justice to the city she calls home.”
House Bill 3774, which created the Kendall County Court at Law in last year’s state legislative session, initially included an Oct. 1, 2022, creation date for the court but had an effective date for the act set for Sept. 1 of this year.
According to a May 11 email to the Kendall County Elections Department from the Texas Secretary of State’s Elections Division staff, county staff and officials were notified that the two dates would create a vacancy in the court judge position Sept. 1, meaning there would need to be an election to fill the position this May. Under that scenario, the commissioners would not be able to appoint a judge.
However, 20 days after the commissioners announced an election would be required to fill the position, HB 3774 was amended to allow the commissioners to appoint the new judge. In the end, the legislation was amended to allow the commissioners to appoint the first CCL judge, which Precinct 3 Commissioner Richard Chapman said would allow the county more time to prepare for the new court. It is still unclear when or if the commissioners will appoint a new judge before an election is required in 2023.
At this time, First Assistant Criminal District Attorney Katherine McDaniel is the only individual to have filed to run for the new Kendall County Court at Law Judge position. She filed before the bill was amended to allow an appointment.
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