Judge Peggy Hoffman's Background

Judge Peggy Hoffman was first elected in November 2006 to Dallas County Criminal Court 9, as part of the historic "Class of 2006" Democrats who swept Dallas County that year. Judge Hoffman has nearly 30 years of combined legal and judicial experience, and she is is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Before taking the bench, Judge Hoffman was a prosecutor in Dallas County and New York City. Judge Hoffman also worked as a criminal defense attorney for four years. She graduated from the College of St. Benedict in 1990, and from SMU School of Law  in 1993.

In response to the large number of women arrested for prostitution who have substance abuse issues and/or mental illness, Judge Hoffman along with the Dallas County Probation Department, District Attorney’s Office, Public Defender’s Office, Dallas Police Department, Dallas Sheriff’s Office and numerous local service providers developed a drug divert specialty court for women charged with misdemeanor prostitution. This Court was known as PRIDE Court (Positive Recovery Intensive Divert Experience). With changes in arrest policies this specialty court is no longer in operation, but it achieved many years of success.

Judge Hoffman is a longtime Dallas County resident, raising her family here. She is active in the community and in the Dallas County Democratic Party.