--- title: "Dena Fisher | KnowJudges" canonical: "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dena-fisher-district-315th-district-court-texas" page_type: "judge_profile" updated: "2026-08-02" --- # Dena Fisher 315th District Court · District Associate Judge ## Profile - Court: 315th District Court - State: Texas - Role: District Associate Judge - Service status: active - Last verified: 2026-07-27 ## Summary Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge. ## Biography ### Professional career - Associate Judge, Texas 315th Judicial District Court, Houston, TX, 2019-present - Private Practice – Fisher Law Office, P.C. (2002–2018) - Assistant District Attorney, Harris County District Attorney, Houston, TX, ?-present - Juvenile Probation Officer, Harris County, TX, ?-present - Juvenile Probation Officer – Harris County (13 years) ### Education - South Texas College — J.D. (2001) ### Additional information - Appointment: Appointed by Judge Leah Shapiro; seated on the bench as of 2019, with continued service into 2026 - Practitioner, Fisher Law Office, P.C., Houston, TX, 2002-2018 - representing children in delinquency, CPS, trafficking, and gang court cases - Practitioner, 313th District Court’s Gang Court Program, ?-present - Practitioner, 315th District Court’s CARE Court Program, ?-present - Supervising Attorney, JCAP Juvenile Representation Clinic, ?-present - Associate Judge of the Texas 315th Judicial District Court in Harris County, Houston, with a long career in juvenile justice, public defense, and legal advocacy for children. - Court Focus: Handles delinquency, child protective services (CPS), and specialty dockets such as Juvenile Mental Health Court (Court 360) and dual-status cases for children in both CPS and delinquency systems. - Co‐Founder and Executive Director of the Houston PEARLS Foundation, a program supporting young women in foster care aged 14–18 through mentorship, community service, and personal development activities. - Academic Role – Taught Juvenile Representation Clinic at University of Houston Law Center for seven years - She also serves on the Texas Supreme Court Dual Status Task Force, helping set statewide policy for children in both CPS and delinquency systems. ## Before you appear - Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed. - Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance. - Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding. ## Courtroom Rules ### civil remote appearances Scope: statewide In civil district and county court proceedings, the court may permit or require electronic participation after appropriate notice; compelled electronic participation for oral-testimony proceedings requires good cause or party agreement, and a jury trial requires party agreement. Evidence excerpt: Upon appropriate notice by a party or the court, a court may allow or require a participant to appear at a court proceeding by videoconference, teleconference, or other available electronic means, except as otherwise provided in (2). [Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21d, Appearances at Court Proceedings](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1462948/texas-rules-of-civil-procedure-july-1-2026.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ### civil recording and broadcasting Scope: statewide Civil district and county trial courts may permit courtroom recording or broadcasting only under Supreme Court guidelines, with the required party and witness consent, or for ceremonial proceedings. Evidence excerpt: A trial court may permit broadcasting, televising, recording, or photographing of proceedings in the courtroom only in the following circumstances: [Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 18c, Recording and Broadcasting of Court Proceedings](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1462948/texas-rules-of-civil-procedure-july-1-2026.pdf) Source checked: 2026-07-26 ## Sources - [Official profile](https://card.txcourts.gov/ExcelExportPublic.aspx?type=P&export=E&CommitteeID=0&Court=&SortBy=tblCounty.Sort_ID%2C%20Last_Name&Active_Flg=true&Last_Name=&First_Name=&Court_Type_CD=0&Court_Sub_Type_CD=0&County_ID=0&City_CD=0&Address_Type_CD=0&Annual_Report_CD=0&PersonnelType1=&PersonnelType2=&DistrictPrimaryLocOnly=0&AdminJudicialRegion=0&COADistrictId=0) - [Official roster](https://card.txcourts.gov/ExcelExportPublic.aspx?type=P&export=E&CommitteeID=0&Court=&SortBy=tblCounty.Sort_ID%2C%20Last_Name&Active_Flg=true&Last_Name=&First_Name=&Court_Type_CD=0&Court_Sub_Type_CD=0&County_ID=0&City_CD=0&Address_Type_CD=0&Annual_Report_CD=0&PersonnelType1=&PersonnelType2=&DistrictPrimaryLocOnly=0&AdminJudicialRegion=0&COADistrictId=0) - [Texas Office of Court Administration, active Judicial Directory official judicial roster](https://card.txcourts.gov/ExcelExportPublic.aspx?type=P&export=E&CommitteeID=0&Court=&SortBy=tblCounty.Sort_ID%2C%20Last_Name&Active_Flg=true&Last_Name=&First_Name=&Court_Type_CD=0&Court_Sub_Type_CD=0&County_ID=0&City_CD=0&Address_Type_CD=0&Annual_Report_CD=0&PersonnelType1=&PersonnelType2=&DistrictPrimaryLocOnly=0&AdminJudicialRegion=0&COADistrictId=0) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15644/dena-fisher/) - [Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21d, Appearances at Court Proceedings](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1462948/texas-rules-of-civil-procedure-july-1-2026.pdf) - [Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 18c, Recording and Broadcasting of Court Proceedings](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1462948/texas-rules-of-civil-procedure-july-1-2026.pdf) - [CourtListener judicial biographical directory](https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15644/dena-fisher/) ## JSON-LD ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dena-fisher-district-315th-district-court-texas", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dena-fisher-district-315th-district-court-texas", "name": "Dena Fisher | KnowJudges", "description": "Dena Fisher, 315th District Court. Source-linked judicial identity, courtroom procedures, and presentation guidance.", "dateModified": "2026-08-02", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dena-fisher-district-315th-district-court-texas#judge" } }, { "@type": "Person", "@id": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dena-fisher-district-315th-district-court-texas#judge", "name": "Dena Fisher", "url": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dena-fisher-district-315th-district-court-texas", "jobTitle": "District Associate Judge", "worksFor": { "@type": "GovernmentOrganization", "name": "315th District Court" }, "sameAs": [ "https://card.txcourts.gov/ExcelExportPublic.aspx?type=P&export=E&CommitteeID=0&Court=&SortBy=tblCounty.Sort_ID%2C%20Last_Name&Active_Flg=true&Last_Name=&First_Name=&Court_Type_CD=0&Court_Sub_Type_CD=0&County_ID=0&City_CD=0&Address_Type_CD=0&Annual_Report_CD=0&PersonnelType1=&PersonnelType2=&DistrictPrimaryLocOnly=0&AdminJudicialRegion=0&COADistrictId=0", "https://www.courtlistener.com/person/15644/dena-fisher/" ], "alumniOf": [ { "@type": "EducationalOrganization", "name": "South Texas College" } ] }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "KnowJudges", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Texas", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/state/texas" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dena Fisher", "item": "https://knowjudges.com/kyj/judge/dena-fisher-district-315th-district-court-texas" } ] } ] } ``` ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21d, Appearances at Court Proceedings](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-119ce7e69a3752f1da3cfce0) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1462948/texas-rules-of-civil-procedure-july-1-2026.pdf). Collected 2026-07-26. - [Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 21d, Appearances at Court Proceedings](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-a5f587f769df9f3231ef4f9a) — Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory. [Official source](https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1462948/texas-rules-of-civil-procedure-july-1-2026.pdf). Collected 2026-07-26.