Texas Just Banned Its First Ever LGBT Judge for Life After She Ordered Defence Attorney Handcuffed

Bexar County Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez Disqualified Forever After Pattern of Misconduct Including Pride Flag in Courtroom

Bexar County Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez, the first openly LGBT identified judge in the county's history, has been banned for life from any judicial service in the State of Texas after a stunning pattern of misconduct that included ordering a defence attorney handcuffed and locked in a jury box.

The State Commission on Judicial Conduct concluded the agreement on 20 April 2026, declaring her "forever disqualified from judicial service in the State of Texas."

Texas LGBT Judge Permanently Disqualified for Misconduct in Bexar County

The misconduct catalogue is staggering. Speedlin Gonzalez ordered defence attorney Elizabeth Russell handcuffed and placed in the jury box during a December 2024 hearing. "Take her into custody and put her in the jury box. We are not having this hearing this way," she ordered. She faced charges of unlawful restraint by a peace officer, a second degree felony, and official oppression, a Class A misdemeanour.

Other complaints included unprofessional demeanour, delays in habeas corpus petitions, and instructing staff to cut off contact with former employees. Prior sanctions involved congratulating winning attorneys on social media and displaying an LGBT pride flag in her courtroom. She was permitted to perform wedding ceremonies, but only without a robe and without invoking judicial authority. Speedlin Gonzalez did not admit guilt and lost her March 2026 reelection bid.

The Crusader's Opinion

The first openly LGBT identified judge in Bexar County turned her courtroom into an ideological theatre, then escalated to actually arresting a defence attorney for the crime of disagreeing with her. The pride flag in the courtroom should have been the first warning sign. Identity politics on the bench is a road to tyranny because it teaches the judge that her tribal loyalties matter more than the law. Texas was right to ban her permanently. Every other state should pay attention to the pattern. Justice is blind, or it is no justice at all.

Take Action

• Read: The State Commission on Judicial Conduct's full agreement
• Support: American Center for Law and Justice, defending courtroom integrity
• Contact: Your state representative urging strict judicial conduct standards
• Pray: For attorney Elizabeth Russell and the integrity of the bench
• Share: The handcuffing story and ask "Why did this take this long to be punished?"