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Dallas, TX
Former Dallas County judge testifies in misconduct trial, denies allegations
AUSTIN – In her first public statements since being accused of allowing a staff member to stand in for her during a criminal court proceeding nearly five years ago, former Dallas County District Judge Amber Givens denied the allegations while testifying Wednesday before a three-judge panel.
Givens’ testimony came on the second and final day of her judicial misconduct trial held at the state Supreme Court in Austin. Her statements to the panel contradicted previous testimony from two prosecutors and two probation officers who witnessed the hearing at the center of the case.
The former felony court judge received a public reprimand and an admonition from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct last year after it determined she had allowed her court coordinator to stand in for her during an August 2021 bond hearing.
The commission also ruled that Givens had treated attorneys poorly in her courtroom on three specific occasions, and had taken action in two criminal cases after she had been recused from them. Givens appealed the findings, which then voided them and led to this week’s trial.
The trial was presided over by a Special Court of Review, whose members are three justices from various appellate courts in the state. Two prosecutors from the Attorney General’s Office presented the case against Givens. The panel didn’t issue a ruling, and it could be weeks before a decision is released.
Among the options the justices have is to reinstate some or all of the sanctions issued by the judicial misconduct commission, or to dismiss them. If they uphold the public reprimand – the harshest sanction available – Givens would not be able to serve as a visiting judge, which many former judges choose to do after they leave the bench.
Givens resigned from her position presiding over the 282nd District Court in December to run for Dallas County district attorney. She’s taking on incumbent John Creuzot, who was among the witnesses called to testify during this week’s trial. Both are Democrats and will face off in the March 3 primary. Since no Republican candidates filed for the position, the primary winner likely will get the job after the November general election.
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During testimony Wednesday, Givens told the panel that on the day of the Aug. 3, 2021 bond hearing, she was having issues with her car and was working remotely, which was allowed during the COVID pandemic. When she tried to log into the virtual gathering for her court’s proceedings that day, she was unable to get in, she said.
Givens said she instructed her court coordinator, Arceola Warfield, how to log in to Zoom for her from Warfield’s computer so they could move on with the court’s business that day, which she described as minor.
When they got to the bond hearing, Givens said she called Warfield and told her to hold her phone up to the computer’s speaker so that the attorneys could hear her.
She said she told them she was approving the bond amount the two sides had agreed on and would require the defendant to wear an ankle monitor, which he repeatedly argued against. Givens said she also informed the participants that Warfield would read the bond conditions to them. Her lead attorney, Chip Babcock, then presented the justices with phone records that he said backed up her claims.
A former bailiff from Givens’ court said during a videotaped deposition played for the panel that he heard her voice over the phone. Warfield was not called as a witness during the trial. The prosecutors for the Attorney General’s Office said they repeatedly tried to subpoena her but were unable to locate her.
The testimony provided by Givens and the bailiff was at odds with that provided by the prosecutors and probation officers. They told the panel they never heard Givens’ voice during the hearing. All four said they were so concerned about what had taken place that they reported the incident to supervisors.
When leaders of the Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association found out about it, they filed a complaint with the judicial conduct commission.
The lawyers’ group also complained to the commission about the disrespectful way they believed Givens had treated attorneys appearing before her, and submitted videos of three court hearings to back up their claims. A criminal investigation was opened by Texas Rangers and a special prosecutor was appointed, but no charges were ever filed.
On Wednesday, Givens described the allegations accusing her of allowing a staff member to impersonate her during a court hearing as disturbing.
“I would have never asked (Warfield) to pretend to be me,” Givens testified. “I’m going to put my degree on the line? My license on the line? For a bond hearing? No.”
Givens also denied being disrespectful to attorneys in her court, and said well-known issues with the rollout of a new court computer system prevented her from knowing she’d been recused from the two cases she took action on after she had been removed from
In other testimony Wednesday, Amanda Branan, a former president of the Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, described Givens as acting like a “queen” when she was on the bench.
“It’s almost like she wants to be famous rather than be a judge and serve justice,” Branan said. “(Her) behavior was so bad and it just kept getting worse.”
Creuzot was called to testify about an email he received from Givens after she learned about the bond hearing allegations. In the message, she accused a prosecutor in Creuzot’s office of spreading lies about her and said she planned to file a bar complaint against her, which never happened, Creuzot said. She also asked Creuzot to reassign the prosecutor to another court, which he said he did.
Dallas Parks and Recreation will distribute 25,000 all-access passes that give Dallas teens free admission to cultural and recreational attractions across the city throughout July.
Passes will be available beginning June 29 on a first-come, first-served basis at City of Dallas recreation centers.
The program, now entering its fifth year, is open to Dallas residents ages 13 to 17. City leaders say the initiative, which launched in 2021, helps promote positive engagement opportunities for teens and reduce crime during the summer months.
Teens must register in person and provide proof of Dallas residency to receive a pass.
The city says the program is made possible through partnerships with local cultural, recreational, and entertainment organizations.
Participating attractions include:
- African American Museum
- Bahama Beach
- Bath House Cultural Center
- Latino Cultural Center
- South Dallas Cultural Center
- Oak Cliff Cultural Center
- Dallas Museum of Arts
- Community Art Pop Up Cultural
- Dallas Arboretum
- Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
- Dallas Park and Recreation Summer Fitness
- Dallas Zoo
- Frontiers of Flight Museum
- Golf Dallas
- Reunion Tower
- Shakespeare of Dallas
- State Fair of Texas
- Southern Skates Roller Rink
- Texas Discover Garden
- The Sixth Floor Museum At Dealey Plaza
- Trinity River Audubon
A full list of participating attractions and recreation centers distributing passes is available at DallasParks.org
At least four people were injured after a vehicle drove into a crowd of people in Dallas on Thursday evening.
Dallas police responded to an “Assist Officer call with an Ambulance” at approximately 7 p.m. in the 300 block of West Davis Street.
Authorities learned that a vehicle drove into a crowd, injuring multiple people. At least four have been taken to a local hospital for treatment. Police said no one was in critical condition.
The driver of the vehicle was arrested at the scene, police said. Authorities are still working to determine if this driver could have been drunk or if this could have been a medical episode.
According to police, there is no indication that the crash was terrorism related.
The investigation is ongoing.
This story will be updated as we learn more.
Dallas, TX
FOX’s Kasper Schmeichel compares England to Dallas Cowboys, so who are their other sports analogs?
Scottish World Cup fans reportedly drink Boston dry
Dana Perino announces that Scottish World Cup fans have caused an unprecedented beer shortage in Boston, emptying bars and liquor stores. Jesse Watters playfully observes that Europeans visiting America seem to “love it,” despite negative media portrayals, while Greg Gutfeld adds a satirical comment about “liberal mayors” and local resource management, contrasting Boston’s beer woes with LA’s water and Chicago’s Bears.
FOX Soccer analyst Kasper Schmeichel came prepared for this year’s World Cup on American soil.
The former Danish goalkeeper may not be from around these parts, but that didn’t stop him from dropping an eerily accurate comparison between two overconfident but long-suffering sports programs.
With England and Croatia warming up inside AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, Schmeichel decided he would roast two fanbases with one stone, comparing the Cowboys to the Three Lions with a hilarious one-liner.
Funny, but also painfully true if you’re a supporter of either team.
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I made a comparison last week between the English national team and Notre Dame, but Schmeichel got me thinking, who are the sports analogs to England from the four major North American leagues (NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA)?
Today, I will be doing exactly that, including giving a slightly better NFL comp than the Cowboys (shocking, I know).
Without further ado, let’s piss off our neighbors from across the pond.
FROM 4 STRAIGHT SUPER BOWL LOSSES TO JOSH ALLEN’S PATRICK MAHOMES PROBLEM, BILLS MIGHT BE CURSED
NFL – Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears helmets are displayed before the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nev., on Sept. 28, 2025. (Kiyoshi Mio/Imagn Images)
While the Dallas Cowboys are a fine comparison for the English national soccer team, I think I can do one better.
Schmeichel mentioned that England “won it once and have never stopped talking about it,” and although the second part of that statement applies to both, the Cowboys are five-time Super Bowl champions, having won it most recently in January 1996, a good three decades after England.
If you really want a team that more accurately mirrors the hard luck of the English, it would have to be the Chicago Bears.
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They have one Super Bowl win to their name, which came 40 years ago, and really don’t have much else to show for it.
Also, having lived in the DFW area for the better part of a decade, I can confidently say Cowboys fans are a little too arrogant and cocky to be compared to the English.
Sure, England will say things like “it’s coming home,” but they are far more self-deprecating and aware of their faults, even nihilistic in some cases.
The Bears hang onto their history because they know things will inevitably go bad for them on the biggest stage.
Speaking of which…
NHL – Toronto Maple Leafs
Spencer Carbery, assistant coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs, looks on from the bench during the third period against the Washington Capitals at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ont., on April 14, 2022. (Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Toronto Maple Leafs actually line up with England more closely than either fanbase would like to admit.
While the Leafs have a litany of Stanley Cups to their name, their most recent win was back in 1967, less than a full year after England won their first and only World Cup.
As far as expectations go, both constantly go into their respective tournaments with the weight of the world on their shoulders, only to come crashing down in the most horrific ways imaginable.
For the Leafs, it comes in the form of blowing big leads in the playoffs, while English fans and players alike can’t even hear the words “penalty kicks” without having a mental breakdown.
England and Toronto are both long-suffering cities, but their fans keep showing up expecting a different outcome.
Insanity? No, just sports fandom.
NBA – New York Knicks
Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks celebrates a three-point basket with Karl-Anthony Towns during Game Two of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, on June 5, 2026. (Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
This one would have been an even better comparison if the New York Knicks hadn’t gone and won the whole damn thing this year, but these two sports teams are still eerily similar.
WHY THE KNICKS, DISRESPECTED BUT CLAWING BACK, TOUCHED A RAW NERVE IN NEW YORK CITY AND ULTIMATELY THE COUNTRY
Think of the Knicks’ 2026 NBA Championship run as a window into what it would look like if England captured a World Cup (on American soil, no less).
Before this year, the Knicks famously had not won a Larry O’Brien trophy in over 50 years, yet they were still considered one of the “blue bloods” of the NBA.
Decades of heartache didn’t change that; it only made their fans more insufferable, but their triumph earlier this month in the NBA Finals exorcised all those demons.
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A win in the World Cup Finals would probably do the same for England fans, as you could probably feel that sigh of relief from the other side of the Atlantic.
MLB – New York Mets
New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto reacts after scoring a run on an RBI double by infielder Bo Bichette against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on April 2, 2026. (Robert Edwards/Imagn Images)
Hello again, New York.
The Big Apple certainly has its fair share of winners, but it also has plenty of franchises that are aching to make a trip back down the Canyon of Heroes, none more so than the Mets.
Year after year, the Mets are near the top of MLB in terms of spending, with little to show for their efforts.
WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON FOX ONE
They won a World Series back in 1986 and have been chasing that high ever since.
The common thread between England and the Mets (along with all the other teams on this list) is expectations relative to results, and it seems like the Mets are sort of a Schrödinger’s baseball franchise in that regard, expected to both compete for a World Series with their high-priced talent and flame out in spectacular fashion all the same.
FOX ONE’S NEW WORLD CUP VIEWING EXPERIENCE
England always has flashy players heading into World Cup play, but the results haven’t been there, and they’ve often been sent home in brutal fashion, offering a great parallel to the Mets’ clockwork-like midsummer swoons and late-season meltdowns.
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