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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.
FC Dallas returns home tonight to host Western Conference rivals Real Salt Lake.
Lineups are in from both sides. Let’s dive into what Eric Quill’s starting group looks like, who is on the bench, and who we believe will see minutes later on in this one.
What Changed From Last Match
If it ain’t broke, right? This is the same group as last week that picked up three points in New York.
FC Dallas Lineup Notes:
Starting XI
Formation: 3-4-3
Bench
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Who should come off the bench?
I almost think you roll out the same group of subs that worked last week in New York. That would be Chris Cappis, Logan Farrington, Sebastien Ibeagha, Sam Sarver and maybe more minutes for Caleb Swann. That, or give Nicholas Simmonds a few more minutes out there.
Key Question Heading Into Kickoff
After ending a couple of streaks last week, can FC Dallas finally put together a complete performance at home?
There is no getting around it: this is a big one for FC Dallas tonight. They need to figure out how to get the most out of their home games here this week (and next) before being gone for three and a half months. If they can replicate what they did last week in New York where the defense was stout, the attack was clinical, and everything else in between came together…there is no reason why they can’t string together a couple of wins in a row here starting tonight.
Availability Report
Suspended: none
International duty: none
Season-ending injury list: Kaka Scabin (knee)
Out: Anderson Julio (Lower leg), Bernard Kamungo (lower leg)
Questionable: none
On Loan: Tsiki Ntsabeleng (Mamelodi Sundowns FC), Enes Sali (Al-Riyadh), Malachi Molina (Nashville SC), Geovane Jesus (North Texas SC), Enzo Newman (North Texas SC)
Unavailable (off-roster): Daniel Baran, Jaidyn Contreras
RSL Lineup Notes:
Formation: 5-4-1
Starting XI
How to watch
📅 Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026
⚽️ Kickoff: 7:30 PM
🏟 Venue: Toyota Stadium
📺 Streaming: MLS Season Pass
💬 Gameday Social: #FCDvRSL
☀️ Weather: 87, sunny
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FC Dallas returns home this weekend looking to build off last week’s road result as Real Salt lake comes to town for another important Western Conference matchup. With the schedule beginning to pile up before the summer World Cup break in June, grabbing points at Toyota Stadium feels more important than ever right now.
RSL arrives with one of the more balanced attacks in the conference and enough pace to punish mistakes in transition. For Dallas, this one is about staying organized defensively, controlling the midfield battle, and continuing to find consistency in the final third. If those three items can be checked off this weekend, there’s a real opportunity to keep the momentum moving in the right direction before a long summer road trip.
Let’s dive into some notes, predictions, and more.
TL;DR: Match Preview
Quick hits before kickoff.
- Score prediction: FC Dallas 2 – 1 Real Salt Lake
- Key player to watch: Petar Musa – To make the World Cup roster later this month for Croatia, Musa has to continue scoring here and guide the team to a big home win.
- Why this game matters: The next two are at home and after that there are nine straight road games. Dallas has to bank some points at home while they can before the long summer road trip.
FC Dallas Notes:
All-time vs RSL: FC Dallas holds a 24-15-13 all-time regular-season record against RSL. Dallas has scored 79 goals against Salt Lake. RSL has scored 63.
Home record vs RSL: Dallas has a solid 14-2-8 at home against RSL in regular season meetings. Dallas has scored 44 home goals against RSL. Salt Lake has scored 23 goals at Toyota Stadium versus Dallas. Dallas last won at home versus RSL on April 16, 2023. Jesús Ferreira and Bernanrd Kamungo scored for Dallas that night.
Homegrown clock: Homegrown keeper Michael Collodi was the only HGP earning minutes this season until Nolan Norris joined him on the field. Collodi has played the full 90 in each match, while Norris has been in and out of the lineup. Norris also has one goal on the season. Caleb Swann also made his debut off the bench in New York. Together, they have played 1595 minutes. To add more perspective here, Dallas HGPs only accounted for 1683 minutes in 2025.
What to Watch For: FC Dallas vs. Real Salt Lake FC Dallas returns to Toyota Stadium riding momentum from a historic road win in New York, but RSL arrives with one of the most dangerous young attacks in MLS. Here’s what to watch when the Burn host the Claret-and-Cobalt on Saturday.
Notable season stats:
- FCD is 7th in crosses in MLS with 144.
- The Burn are 6th in total distance covered in MLS with 286.24 km (800 miles).
- FCD is third in MLS in aerial challenges won with 171.
- FC Dallas is 9th in MLS in xG with 18.81.
- FCD is 8th in MLS in shot efficiency with 1.19.
- Musa is 4th in MLS in xG with 7.77. He also ranks tied for 4th in MLS in shots with 40.
Potential FC Dallas Lineup:
With another three-games in seven days stretch coming up, Eric Quill will likely go with as strong of a lineup as possible in these next two home games.
Formation: 3-4-3
Projected Starting XI
Availability & Disciplinary Report
⚽
Disciplinary Report
Suspended: none
Suspended with next yellow card: none
Suspended with next two yellow cards: Osaze Urhoghide, Nolan Norris
🗒️
Availability Report
Season-ending injury list: Kaka Scabin
Out: Anderson Julio (Lower leg), Bernard Kamungo (lower leg)
Questionable: none
On Loan: Tsiki Ntsabeleng (Mamelodi Sundowns FC), Enes Sali (Al-Riyadh), Malachi Molina (Nashville SC), Geovane Jesus (North Texas SC), Enzo Newman (North Texas SC)
Unavailable (off-roster): Daniel Baran, Jaidyn Contreras
International duty: none
Real Salt Lake Notes:
Key player for RSL: Diego Luna
Scouting Real Salt Lake: What FC Dallas Needs to Know 🔎 A detailed scouting report on RSL ahead of FC Dallas’ 2026 showdown, breaking down formations, key players, tendencies, and tactical edges.
Disciplinary Report
Suspended: none
Suspended on next yellow card: none
Availability Report
Out: Jesus Barea (knee), Emeka Eneli (knee), Ari Piol (Achilles)
Questionable: Juan Jose Arias (groin), Justen Glad (groin), Lukas Engel (hip)
International duty: none
Big game this week for FC Dallas. Before we get into it, members have the full scouting report, projected lineups, and injury report. If you want to go into Matchday actually knowing what to watch for, now’s the time.
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A mystery trust bought one of the most expensive homes in Texas this week — just months after buying another multimillion dollar property nearby.
The Lost River Trust bought the mansion at 4815 Saint Johns Drive in Highland Park from Dallas entrepreneurs Melbourne and Jamie O’Banion on May 5, according to county records. The final sale price is undisclosed, but the sellers had the home listed for $24.9 million at the time.
The six-bedroom, eight-bathroom home spans 11,433 square feet on a 0.6-acre lot, according to the listing. It was built by Mark Molthan and designed by Tom Weber. They listed the home on March 23 for about $2,200 per square foot.
Allie Beth Allman, founder of the eponymous brokerage, represented the sellers. Damon Williamson with The Agency represented the buyer, according to Redfin.
Just two Dallas homes last year sold with listing prices higher than $25 million, though both sold for well below what they asked. The trust of the late Fortress Investment Group CEO Josh Pack sold his former home at 6601 Hunters Glen Road for $30.5 million after asking $35 million, and manufacturer Guinn Crousen sold his home at 4000 Euclid Avenue for $25.5 million after asking $33 million.
Only six homes in Texas are asking a higher price, according to Zillow. Two effectively tie with the home on Saint Johns Drive: a spec mansion on Strait Lane that’s asking $25 million, and another new construction at 4 Lana Lane in Houston that’s asking $25.5 million.
The Lost River Trust bought another luxury home just six months ago. On Nov. 14, the trust purchased the home at 3709 Euclid Avenue, a four-bedroom, six-bathroom, 5,845-square-foot house that was asking $14 million when it withdrew from the market in September. It’s about half a mile south of the home on Saint Johns Drive.
Melbourne O’Banion is the CEO of Dallas-based tech startup Bestow, which produces software for life insurance companies. His wife Jamie O’Banion is the founder of Dallas-based cosmetics company BeautyBio.
The Crespi Estate at 5619 Walnut Hill Lane, listed by the Cox Family for $64 million, remains the most expensive home on the market in Texas.
Read more
Dallas entrepreneurs Jamie and Melbourne O’Banion list Highland Park mansion for $25M
Estate of late Dallas plastic surgeon Sam Hamra sells historic Highland Park teardown to mystery buyer
Robert Vaughn buys University Park spec mansion that asked $26M
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