On Thursday, August 28, 2025, the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct publicly admonished Lamar De La Cruz, Justice of the Peace for Precinct 6 in Rio Grande City, Starr County, Texas, and ordered her to obtain additional education following a review of her conduct. The decision, stemming from a meeting held on August 6-7, 2025, addresses allegations that Judge De La Cruz acted inappropriately in handling a dispute between two Starr County residents.
The case is entitled “In the Matter of Judge Lamar De La Cruz,” with case number 22-1563.
The Commission’s findings of fact indicate that on or about June 3, 2022, Judge De La Cruz intervened in a disagreement between Jesse Clarke and Feliberto Bazan regarding a 1980 Chevrolet pickup truck that had been in Bazan’s possession for approximately ten years. Clarke sought Judge De La Cruz’s assistance in resolving the matter. The judge then contacted Bazan and directed him to appear in her courtroom to discuss the dispute.
Bazan, believing he was officially summoned, appeared in court where Judge De La Cruz, Constable Jose Garza, and Clarke were present. The Judge proceeded to facilitate a mediation between Clarke and Bazan, which resulted in Bazan turning over the truck to Clarke and paying him $500. No formal case was ever filed in Judge De La Cruz’s court regarding this dispute. When Bazan requested a copy of the summons, he was informed that no summons existed.
In her response to the Commission, Judge De La Cruz stated that she was merely facilitating a dialogue between two constituents to avoid the costs of litigation and that Bazan’s participation was voluntary.
The Commission concluded that Judge De La Cruz’s actions violated several canons of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct and Article V, Section 1-a(6)A of the Texas Constitution. These violations include failing to comply with the law, failing to maintain professional competence in the law, lending the prestige of her office to advance private interests, failing to be patient, dignified, and courteous, failing to provide an opportunity to be heard, and engaging in improper ex parte communications.
Specifically, the Commission cited violations of Canons 2A, 2B, 3B(2), 3B(4), 3B(8), and 6C(2) of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct. The Commission determined that Judge De La Cruz’s conduct was inconsistent with the proper performance of her judicial duties and cast public discredit upon the judiciary and the administration of justice.
As a result of the admonishment, Judge De La Cruz is required to complete two hours of additional judicial instruction in addition to her regular annual judicial education for Fiscal Year 2026. This additional education will focus on lending the prestige of a judicial office to advance private interests and ex parte communications. The Texas Justice Court Training Center will be provided with certain information to assign an appropriate mentor for Judge De La Cruz. Judge De La Cruz must complete the additional instruction within 60 days of written notification of the mentor assignment.
The Commission stated that this action is to protect the public and promote public confidence in the judicial system.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
