Texas Judge 'Forever Disqualified' After Allegedly Ordering Attorney to Be Handcuffed in Court

A Texas judge has been indicted after she allegedly ordered an attorney to be handcuffed in her courtroom during a hearing.

Rosie Speedlin-Gonzalez was indicted in January on one count each of unlawful restraint by a judicial officer and misdemeanor official oppression due to the December 2024 courtroom confrontation.

The 61-year-old had been serving as the presiding judge of Bexar County Court-at-Law No. 13 and REFLEJO Court, a specialized, trauma-informed treatment court. In March, she lost her reelection bid in the Democratic primary and was soon to be ousted.

Now, the terms of her departure ensure she will be “forever disqualified” from working as a judge in Texas, Law&Crime reported.

In February, the award-winning judge was suspended without pay by the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct over the charges. Speedlin-Gonzalez faced possible further disciplinary action by the judicial ethics board based on the outcome of the criminal case against her.

Instead of facing disciplinary action, Speedlin-Gonzalez reached an agreement with the commission to resign from the bench, ending the ethics case while permanently barring her from serving as a judge in Texas.

The agreement covers five complaints filed with the commission over Speedlin-Gonzalez’s judicial misconduct.

The agreement states, “The parties agree that the allegations of judicial misconduct, if found to be true, could result in further disciplinary action” beyond the suspension. The judge also “has officially and formally resigned her judicial duties” and agreed “to resolve the above-referenced complaints in lieu of disciplinary action.”

The document outlines several actions Speedlin-Gonzalez is no longer permitted to perform as a judge and one she is still allowed to do.

On April 20, Speedlin-Gonzalez’s attorney filed a motion to dismiss the indictment.

In December 2024, attorney Elizabeth Russell was representing a client in a motion to revoke probation case, KSAT reported.

The defendant reportedly responded to one of the allegations by pleading “true,” which prompted Russell to discuss the matter privately with her client.

Speedlin-Gonzalez did not agree to the request, saying attorneys are not allowed to coach their clients. When the court proceeded with the plea, the defense attorney objected. This made Speedlin-Gonzalez angrier, according to court transcripts.

“Stop,” the judge said. “It’s on the record. Your argumentative ways are not going to work today. Stop. Stop, or I’ll hold you in contempt, Ms. Russell. I will hold you in contempt.”

As the situation escalated, she ordered Russell to be placed in a box. “We are not having this hearing this way,” the judge told the bailiff.

“You will not run around these courtrooms, especially 13, and think that you can just conduct yourself in the way you’ve been conducting yourself for at least the last six years, Ms. Russell,” Speedlin-Gonzalez said.

Later, Russell filed a criminal complaint, according to Law&Crime. The judicial complaint said she “exhibited unprofessional demeanor, threatened a defense attorney with contempt, and ordered the bailiff to handcuff the defense attorney and place her in the jury box,” the resignation agreement said.

Four additional complaints were filed alleging misconduct, including claims that she ordered court employees to have “no contact” with former staff members.

Speedlin-Gonzalez is scheduled to appear in court on June 5.