Faith Johnson selected as new Dallas County DA
DALLAS - A former North Texas judge has been named as the new Dallas County District Attorney.
Republican Faith Johnson will replace Susan Hawk. Governor Greg Abbott says Johnson will serve through 2018 to finish Hawk's term.
Johnson will be the first black female district attorney for Dallas County and says she's ready for the job.
“My legal knowledge is just phenomenal. So I want to represent the citizens of Dallas County,” she said. “I have a lot of work ahead of me, but that’s okay. I love work. I will be there, and I will do an excellent job.”
Johnson was a prosecutor in Dallas County before becoming a state district judge on the bench until 2006 when Democrats swept the courthouse. She's been in private practice at her own law firm since and plans to be DA for all the people.
“I want to vigorously prosecute people who need to be prosecuted, and I want to vigorously make certain that people who are innocent don’t go to jail,” Johnson said. “I want them to know that this is our office. It doesn’t belong to Faith Johnson. It doesn’t belong to those 300 staff people down at the DA’s office. It belongs to every citizen of Dallas County.”
Many submitted application for the office when it was vacated when Susan Hawk stepped down to seek continued treatment for her severe depressive disorder diagnosis.
Attorney Dan Hagood and Johnson were the final two candidates. Hagood calls her a friend and a good fit for the office
“We started at the district attorney’s office together back in 1982,” Hagood said. “She started a day behind me, hired by Henry Wade. She was a great prosecutor. She was a wonderful judge.”
Johnson says she’ll meet with her transition team and the executive staff at the DA's office on Wednesday and says she plans to be in the office before the year is up after closing her practice.