When it comes to addressing family violence,
experience matters.
A lifelong Longhorn, Judge Dimple Malhotra attended the University of Texas at Austin and the UT School of Law.
Upon graduating, she dedicated her 20+ year career to working in the field of family violence.
Here is what Judge Dimple Malhotra brings to this bench:
Over 23 years of experience working with the dynamics of domestic violence, including six years at non-profit agencies in Texas and California.
Over 13 years of first-chair criminal trial experience.
Significant leadership experience:
Kept the protective order docket moving during the pandemic to protect vulnerable members of the community.
Led Family Violence Units at the misdemeanor and felony levels.
Led Travis County’s Protective Orders Division.
Compassion.
Judge Malhotra has wanted to help people dealing with domestic violence since high school.
She believes in helping offenders unlearn domestic violence behaviors through mental health services, counseling, treatment, and diversion.
A perspective that is lacking in our judicial system.
Judge Dimple Malhotra brings a perspective that is lacking in the Travis County judicial system, a perspective rooted in her background as an immigrant and as the first South Asian elected judge and first AAPI female elected judge in Travis County history.
2019 - Present:
Judge, County Court at Law 4
After two decades serving the community, she was appointed to the Court 4 bench by the Travis County Commissioners when the Hon. Mike Denton stepped down in 2019. She was then elected by Travis County voters in 2020 to finish out the unexpired term.
As Judge, her priorities include:
Ensuring equal protection under the law.
Protecting the safety of alleged victims and the community while steadfastly guarding the rights of defendants.
Increasing privacy for those seeking sexual assault protective orders.
Establishing a new diversion program for first-time offenders that provides counseling and services to help break the cycle of domestic violence.
Advocating on behalf of efforts to educate children and teens about how to maintain healthy relationships and how to deal with family violence and teen dating violence, trying to address domestic violence tendencies early in a person’s life.
Treating each and every person who appears in her court with the kindness, compassion, and respect that all of us deserve.
Judge Dimple Malhotra testifies before the Texas Senate on behalf of a bill to educate children and teens about how to handle family violence and teen dating violence.
The Sun newspaper, Sunnyvale CA, October 1999 (click to enlarge)
1999-2005:
Advocate and staff attorney at non-profit domestic violence agencies
Judge Dimple Malhotra began her career in 1999 working for non-profit agencies that focused on helping survivors of domestic violence.
As a staff attorney and advocate at non-profits in California and Texas, she helped survivors and alleged victims obtain protective orders, custody orders, and child support.
She started a support group for south Asian immigrant women who suffered from domestic violence, many of whom did not speak English, to provide them with a safe space to meet others who were similarly situated.
She also trained law enforcement agencies around the Bay Area on how to respond to domestic violence calls, including how to handle domestic violence cases involving members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
2006-2019: Travis County Family Violence Units
Wanting to make a broader impact on the lives of people dealing with family violence after working in the non-profit sector, she took on responsibility for running family violence units at both the misdemeanor and felony levels for Travis County.
During this time, Judge Dimple Malhotra gained over a decade of first-chair criminal trial experience handling a wide range of family violence cases. She also gained valuable leadership experience, leading teams of ACAs and ADAs who focused solely on family violence cases.
