REPUBLICAN PRIMARY • EARLY VOTING FEBRUARY 17-27 • ELECTION DAY MARCH 3, 2026
Meet Lesli
ROOTED IN TEXAS. READY TO SERVE.
A fifth-generation Texan, Lesli R. Fitzpatrick currently serves the State of Texas as Director of Special Litigation for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), Office of General Counsel. During her tenure with TDCJ, Lesli has first-hand legal knowledge of the Texas prison system, which will serve her well as your next Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge. Prior to working at TDCJ, Lesli worked as a criminal prosecutor with dozens of jury trials under her belt, a staff attorney for the Texas General Land Office coordinating all civil litigation, as staff attorney for the Texas Senate and she owned and operated The Law Office of Lesli R. Fitzpatrick for more than a decade.
As a solo practitioner she predominately practiced criminal law in Williamson, Travis, Hays, and Bell Counties representing hundreds of clients charged with misdemeanor and felony crimes.
Legacy of Legal Service
Lesli graduated with honors from The University of Texas of the Permian Basin with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. She then went on Baylor University and graduated with a Master of Arts in Sociology. Lesli received her Juris Doctorate degree from South Texas College of Law.
Lesli has been a member of the State Bar of Texas since 2001. In 2013 she became a member of the College of the State Bar and in 2022, became a Fellow of the College of the State Bar.
Lesli is the former Vice-President of the Texas Association of Specialty Courts (TASC) and former TASC Director from 2018-2021. Since its inception in 2018, Lesli has served on the Collaborative Council for the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health, which was created by the Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Experience
Lesli has spent more than three-quarters of her legal career dedicated to practicing criminal law. Since the Texas Court of Appeals is the court of last jurisdiction for criminal cases, Lesli’s broad and wide experience has prepared her to serve on this appellate bench. And because she has worked on both sides of the law as a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney, she has a balanced view of the law, which will serve her well in reviewing cases on appeal in this court.
Lesli resides in Austin, Texas with her husband Jimmy Fitzpatrick. She has one adult child.