A Texas attorney, James Stafford, who was called to appear before Judge Nathan Milliron, did not show up in court on Thursday. Instead, around a dozen members of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association gathered to support him, as reported by local news.
Judge Milliron accused Stafford of communicating improperly, or “ex parte,” after Stafford confronted an IT employee about a computer issue, demanding an apology. This demand was made after the IT worker attempted to assist him.
Stafford, who hadn’t appeared in court previously, contested the claim, stating there was no valid court order issued to compel his attendance and opted not to show up.
Brent Meyer, the association president and a strong ally of Stafford, mentioned that they waited for nearly ninety minutes before efforts to summon them were made. However, Milliron continued with the morning’s paperwork without addressing Stafford.
“The judge won’t take further illegitimate actions,” Meyer expressed to the media.
Despite concerns regarding Milliron’s behavior, Meyer and other members of the association have not filed a complaint with the state Judicial Conduct Commission.
While the dispute between Stafford and Milliron seems to have calmed, defense attorney Wade Smith, who was present, noted that the judge appeared “very comfortable” but suspected he might have been influenced by recent public scrutiny.
Smith commented outside the courtroom, “I’m not surprised considering the attention he’s receiving.”
Earlier this year, Milliron faced criticism after a video surfaced showing him losing his temper with an IT staff member over audio issues in court.
Following the initial video, another clip surfaced where Milliron was seen angrily addressing a defense attorney during a separate hearing, threatening to have her removed with handcuffs.
Emails surfaced where Milliron demanded respect as an elected judge, directing staff he referred to as “subordinates” to complete their tasks effectively.
In the wake of this backlash, Milliron has not publicly commented on the controversies surrounding him and has deactivated his Facebook account previously used for livestreaming court sessions, as reported.
Although he seems to have avoided taking action in court recently, Meyer feels Milliron should still issue formal apologies to Stafford, the IT personnel, and others impacted by his behavior.
“I think he owes the people of Harris County an apology,” Meyer stated, advocating for Milliron to acknowledge his past actions and assure they won’t be repeated.
Milliron has been serving as a judge in the 215th District Court since January 2025. While his elected position gives him some protection from disciplinary action, the state Judicial Conduct Commission possesses the authority to investigate complaints against active judges.
