Erika Ramirez is grateful to serve Harris County as the Judge of Criminal County Court at Law No. 8.
Harris County, born and raised.
From a young age, Erika learned the importance of equality, service, and compassion. Her father’s diagnosis of Hansen’s disease (commonly known as leprosy) uprooted her parents – then teenagers - from their small Texas border town. At the time, persons with Hansen’s were removed from society and confined, based on unfounded and unfair stereotypes and prejudices associated with the illness. When this unjust practice ended, her parents moved to Houston, where Erika was born. Growing up watching her parents serve as social workers and advocates for persons in need of assistance, forged Erika’s commitment to serve her community.
Respecting the Process and the Parties.
Erika began working at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office as a caseworker assistant, helping domestic violence survivors document abuse and obtain protective orders. Inspired by the passion and dedication of the prosecutors and defense attorneys, Erika enrolled in law school with the goal of returning to the office.
After graduating from the South Texas College of Law Houston, Erika was hired as an Assistant District Attorney. Erika currently serves the people of Harris County through the evaluation of every case, moving forward with prosecution only when there is evidence, thus protecting the rights of victims, persons accused, and the community. She has handled misdemeanor and felony cases, served as a Criminal County Court of Law Chief Prosecutor, and has worked in the Trial Bureau, Domestic Violence, Juvenile, and Financial Crimes Divisions. When the circumstances warranted, Erika tried over thirty cases and obtained convictions from Harris County jurors on charges including aggravated robbery, aggravated sexual assault, and capital murder.
Commited to Service.
Before law school, Erika worked for the Baylor College of Medicine Center for Educational Outreach, a program designed to increase the number of doctors in underserved areas, and served as a teacher for a year in a rural area of southern Spain.
During law school, Erika volunteered for Child Advocates, serving as a guardian ad litem, and United We Dream, assisting Dreamers in filing for citizenship relief. She was recognized for her volunteer work by admission to the Pro Bono Honors Program and receipt of the Pro Bono College of the State Bar of Texas two consecutive years. She also interned for the Harris County Attorney’s Office, where she assisted litigation department in public nuisance filings and juvenile practice division in child protective services matters.
Erika is also a member of the Child Advocates Young Professionals Organization, Houston Area Women’s Center Young Leaders, Hispanic Bar Association of Houston, Mexican American Bar Association of Houston, Houston Bar Association, and Harris County Democratic Lawyers Association.
She is currently on the Editorial Board for The Star, a international periodical educating the public on Hansen’s Disease, where she writes on issues related to prejudice and stigma.
Committed to Harris County.
Erika graduated from Bellaire High School and the University of Texas. She worked for the Houston Comets and interned for the Houston Astros.
Erika lives in Houston, with her husband Mauro, and their two rescue dogs, Paquita and Jalapeño.