About Judge Benson

JUDGE BENSON BIOGRAPHY

Judge D'Metria BensonHON. D’METRIA BENSON
Judge, County Court at Law No. 1, Dallas, Texas

Judge Benson was elected in November 2006 and has served as Judge of Dallas County Court at Law No. 1 since January 2007. She is a 2013 Graduate of the Texas College for the Judiciary from which she received a Certificate of Special Competence in Civil Jurisprudence.

Judge Benson has served on the Texas Center’s Curriculum Committee, Nominations Committee and has served as Chair of the By-laws Committee. She received her J.D. from The University of Texas School of Law and her B.A. from Texas Christian University. This year she celebrates her 30th anniversary as an attorney.

Judge Benson serves on the Dallas County Dispute Resolution Center Board which oversees the provision of affordable alternative dispute resolution services to and for Dallas County residents who cannot afford private mediations. She is a Master in the Mac Taylor Inn of Court, a Life Fellow of the Dallas Young Lawyers Foundation and a member of the Texas and Dallas Bar Associations.

Prior to being elected, Judge Benson was active in the legal community serving in leadership positions on the Board of Directors of the DFW Chapter of National Employment Lawyer’s Association, and as a member of the Women and the Law Section of the State Bar of Texas. She was also active in volunteer work in the community at large through the Junior League of Dallas and served on the Board of Directors of several non-profit Arts Organizations.

JUDGE BENSON CURRICULUM VITAE

Judicial Experience

  • Four-term Incumbent Judge, Dallas County Court at Law No.1, first elected November 2006

Education

  • J.D. The University of Texas at Austin
  • B.A. Texas Christian University

Professional Admissions and Memberships

  • State Bar of Texas
  • United States District Court – Northern District Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association

Professional Certifications, Associations, Affiliations & Awards

  • One of only four Dallas County judges to have earned a Certificate of Specialization in Civil Law from the Texas Center for the Judiciary
  • State Bar of Texas Presidential Commendation for completion of Certification of Specialization in Civil Law
  • Past Member of Texas Center for the Judiciary Nominations Committee
  • Member of the Civil Track subcommittee for the 2014 Texas College for Judicial Studies
  • Past Member of Texas Center for the Judiciary Curriculum Committee
  • Past Chair of Texas Center for Judiciary By-laws Committee
  • Master in the Mac Taylor Inn of Court
  • Member, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers Foundation
  • Participant in Dallas Bar Foundation Bar None Production
  • Member Dallas County Dispute Resolution Center Board
  • Past Board Member, State Bar of Texas Women & the Law Section
  • Past Member, Texas Employment Lawyers Association
  • Past Member, National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA)
  • Past Chair, Past Treasurer and Past Secretary, DFW Chapter NELA Board of Directors
  • Recipient, DFW Chapter NELA Amicus Volunteer of the Year Award

Prior Legal Experience and Community Service

  • Prior to election as Judge owned and operated a law firm with practice areas of constitutional, civil rights, employment law and litigation.
  • Former Assistant City Attorney with the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth with experience in diverse practice areas including misdemeanor prosecution, health law, environmental law, code enforcement/nuisance abatement litigation, government contracts, land use, and administrative procedure
  • Former Sustaining Member, Junior League of Dallas
  • Past Board Member, Theatre Three
  • Past Board Member, Dallas Wind Symphony
  • Past President & Past Secretary, Voices of Change
  • Dallas Business Committee for the Arts, Leadership Training
  • Former Volunteer, Parkland Hospital

Church Affiliation

  • St. Matthew’s Episcopal Cathedral
  • Member, Cathedral Choir