A Dallas County judge who was sanctioned earlier this year is now being sued in federal court.
Ivan Paris filed a federal lawsuit Oct. 14 against District Judge Amber Givens for false imprisonment.
Paris alleges that Givens had no right to sentence him to 60 days in jail in November 2023 because she had recused herself from Paris's case the previous year.
The case had initially been assigned to Givens' 282nd District Court.
She was not immediately available for comment on Wednesday.
Documents filed in federal court Tuesday say Givens ordered Paris to go to jail after he violated his probation. He served only six days after the judge who did have authority over the case ordered him released.
This summer, the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct admonished Givens for "failing to comply with and maintain professional competence in the law" for putting Paris in jail and for revoking another offender’s bond after she had recused herself from that case.
County commissioners had withheld a pay bonus from Givens after they discussed the state discipline.
Givens then sued the county, prompting commissioners last week to give her the $25,000 supplement.
Got a tip? Email Marina Trahan Martinez at mmartinez@kera.org. You can follow Marina at @HisGirlHildy.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
