RE-ELECT JUDGE MELISSA SAENZ
BEXAR COUNTY COURT AT LAW #2

I am Melissa Saenz and I have been proudly serving our community as Judge of Bexar County Court No.2. Since taking office on January 1, 2023, I have made it a priority to handle each case on an individual basis. Every case is different and when we address the underlying issues that led to the arrest, we can provide the individual with the necessary resources so that they don't re-offend.

 

Prior to becoming a Judge, I worked as a Prosecutor at the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office. For over a decade I tried and handled numerous cases like DWIs, Physical and Sexual Crimes Against Children, and Murder. More than half my career was spent handling violent crimes and seeing how it affected the many people in our community. I ran for Judge of Bexar County Court #2 because it's where I felt I could make the most change. Unlike felony cases, the majority of misdemeanor crimes are non-violent. They include offenses like Criminal Trespass, Thefts, DWI, and assaults with minor injuries. Because they tend to be non-violent, rehabilitation is key. Taking a rehabilitative approach not only helps the individual charged but those in our community by helping them to become a more productive and successful member of our society.

​

Education

​

I am a proud graduate of Southwest High School. I graduated in the top 10% of my class and enrolled at the University of Texas at San Antonio to pursue a Bachelors Degree in Political Science. During this time, I started taking legal classes like Constitutional Law, Business Law, and Racketeering and Corruption. These classes sparked an interest in the law for me and opened my eyes to possibilities of becoming a lawyer. As I continued my education at UTSA, I also began to take an interest in Womens Law and completed my Honors Thesis entitled: The Privileges and Immunities Clause and Its Implications on Women's Rights. 

​

After graduating from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2007, I went on to pursue my law degree at the Texas Tech School of Law in Lubbock, Texas. Moving to west Texas for school was a bit of a culture shock. Roughly ten percent of the students in my law school were Latino. The city itself also lacked diversity. It was at that time that I began to realize the number of Latinos. especially women, were underrepresented in the legal field. During law school, I tried to take advantage of different opportunities that would help me decide what type of law I wanted to practice. I interned in San Antonio with the Civil Division of the City Attorney's Office and later with Judge Xavier Rodriguez at the Federal Courthouse learning civil and criminal law. During my last year of law school, I obtained a Student Bar Card and began handling divorces cases that came to us through legal aid.

 

Upbringing

 

I grew up in the Southwest Independent School District and am the proud daughter of a Housekeeper and X-Ray repairman. I do not come from a family of attorneys or politicians. Instead, I am the first person in my family to become an attorney. I understand the struggles that most families in our community go through because growing up I saw my parents struggle financially to put food on the table and keep a roof over our heads. I was taught by my parents to work hard for what you want and I have continued to carry that work ethic throughout my career.

​

Career

​

Shortly after receiving my law license, I started working as a Prosecutor at the Bexar County District Attorney's Office. After three and half years as Prosecutor, I dove into criminal defense. Working in both capacities taught me that there needs to be a better balance in how cases should be handled in the Criminal Court System. The jail is for violent and dangerous people but for non-violent offenders, we need to try to address the issues that brought them into the court system. Regardless of whether it's mental health, substance abuse or something else, we as the Court System need to address these issues to keep our community safe and stop people from re-offending. 

​

I went back to work at the Bexar County District Attorney's Office in 2015 and worked my way up to become a Felony First Chair Prosecutor. This position is the highest prosecution position you can have aside from a Division Chief. It's something I am especially proud because I was only one of two Latinas at the office that encompassed that position.

 

Belief System

​

- Everyone who comes into the Court System should be treated fairly and with respect

- No one is above the law

- An individual's rights should be protected and the law should be followed

- Do what's right 

 

 

​