About
The Honorable Robert Johnson is the incumbent judge of the 177th Criminal District Court in Harris County, Texas. He was elected to the bench in November of 2016 and has served as the presiding judge of the court for almost eight years. He has over 20 years of experience in criminal law. As a judge, he believes in justice and fairness for all. Judge Johnson is committed to making his rulings based on the law and to remain fair/impartial at all times. While on the bench, he implemented a new docket management strategy, which lowered the case backlog. He has also spoken at various community events and served as a mentor for several law student interns in the 177th District Court. He appreciates the opportunity to serve the public as a judge and is seeking re-election in 2024.
Judge Johnson was born in New York City (Bronx), but he has lived most of his life in Houston, Texas. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Commerce from the University of Houston and his Juris Doctorate degree, cum laude, from Thurgood Marshall School of Law. While in law school, he had a strong desire to practice criminal law and was awarded an internship at the Fort Bend District Attorney’s Office. During his internship, he had the opportunity to practice criminal law via a student bar card, which included observing and assisting in criminal hearings/trials.
As a first-generation attorney in his family, Judge Johnson began his legal career in the private sector. After law school, he opened his own law practice at the Law Offices of Robert Johnson, which specialized in criminal law. Prior to becoming a judge, he did criminal defense work for 14 years and handled numerous criminal cases.
Judge Johnson has been recognized for his commitment to legal excellence and has received many awards, including the 2017 Top 50 Black Professionals & Entrepreneurs of Texas Award, 2020 Top 50 Black Professionals & Entrepreneurs of Texas Award, 2024 Top 50 Black Professionals & Entrepreneurs of Texas Award, and the 2017 Mexican American Sheriff’s Organization Award of Excellence.
His professional and community affiliations have included: the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association, the Houston Lawyers Association, Cypress Tomball Democrats, Cy-Fair Democrats, Houston Black American Democrats, and Area 5 Democrats. He is also a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.