Harris County's 178th District Court Judge Kelli Johnson has been out of court and on medical leave since a motorized scooter accident at her home led to a head injury back in February, her attorney Chris Tritico confirmed. Diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome in August, Johnson will remain on leave until after the new year, according to a statement. Despite her absence, Judge Johnson is running unopposed in the November election, ensuring her return to the bench upon recovery. “Judge Johnson is working with her doctors and following all of their recommendations. She looks forward to coming back to the bench fully recovered sometime right after the first of the new year,” Tritico said, as per the Houston Chronicle.
The judge has not been without controversy, having been previously charged with DWI. However, those charges were dismissed after it was found she had no drugs or alcohol in her system at the time of an April traffic stop. Her attorney expressed relief at the outcome. “We commend the special prosecutors for doing the right thing by filing the motion to dismiss. This was a case that should never have been filed. Judge Johnson had no alcohol on her breath or drugs in her system. There was, quite frankly, no probable cause to arrest her. We are relieved that the truth has come to light and look forward to Judge Johnson returning to her duties after recovering from a brain injury,” Tritico said in a press statement obtained by Click2Houston. Judge Johnson's medical leave is to ensure her recovery from brain injury and it's anticipated that she will resume her duties soon afterward.
An interim absence on the bench doesn't mean Judge Johnson has been disconnected from her responsibilities. Amanda Cain, a spokesperson for the Harris County District Courts Administrative Office, noted that other judges will continue to cover Johnson's courtroom. "We commend Judge Kelli Johnson for making self-care a priority, and for taking the bold step in recognizing that one's ability to serve others only goes as far as our ability to serve ourselves," Cain stated, a sentiment shared by the Houston Chronicle.
Despite the judge's health concerns and previous allegations from her court reporter about a hostile work environment, Judge Johnson's record on the bench includes several significant cases. She presided over all three of the AJ Armstrong trials and sentenced former Houston-area high school coach David Temple to life imprisonment in his re-trial. She has also been visibly affected by the Brian Coulter case, telling Coulter that the suffering of the children involved had haunted her own thoughts. According to an interview with Click2Houston, these experiences, have imposed upon what should have been a safe mental space. Johnson is also a volunteer judge with the Success Through Addiction Recovery (STAR) program, working to provide treatment for women with drug addictions and mental health disorders.
