Tarrant County family judge sexually harassed female colleagues, state commission says
A Tarrant County family court judge has been warned by a state commission over allegations that he sexually harassed female county employees and colleagues.
The Texas Sate Commission on Judicial Conduct issued a public warning on June 21 to Judge Jesus “Jesse” Nevarez of the 231st District Court.
Sexual harassment in text messages began in December 2021, when Nevarez started sending an associate judge personal messages in which he would refer to her with pet names including “babe,” “babes,” “hon,” “baby,” and “beautiful,” according to the written warning. He also told her in the messages he loved her, the warning states.
In August 2022, the associate judge recorded a conversation about her resignation from her position. In the recording, Nevarez is heard referring to her as “baby” and trying to convince her to change her mind, the warning states. He is heard saying he has “loved her forever.”
In his testimony to the commission, Nevarez said he has been referring to women, including his female colleagues, with pet names for 40 years. He said he was never informed that calling women by these names or any other actions made women feel uncomfortable and that he does not believe they constitute sexual harassment, the warning reads. While the associate judge said she tried coming forward to Nevarez with her discomfort, he said she never informed him.
Nevarez testified that he and the associate judge were friends before she was sworn into her position. When the associate judge became his subordinate, Nevarez “failed to formalize their working relationship” and treated her as a friend instead of a colleague, the warning says.
The judge further testified the nature of their friendship changed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, his deployment in the Texas State Guard, and the workload.
He was also accused of commenting on the associate judge’s attire when she wore dresses to work. Nevarez said he made these comments because she did not consistently wear appropriate court attire, but he never reported this to Human Resources, according to the warning.
A family law attorney is also alleging the judge made inappropriate advances toward her, according to the document.
Nevarez provided the attorney his personal cell phone number and sent her a personal message on Facebook, the warning says.
When the attorney missed a 9 a.m. hearing, Nevarez conducted the proceeding without contacting her. He allegedly told her had she contacted him on his personal cell phone, he wouldn’t have held the hearing without her, which Nevarez denied saying. According to the commission, it is not standard practice in Tarrant County family law courts to conduct a hearing without an attorney’s presence.
The attorney interpreted this as retribution for not responding to Nevarez’s advances.
She felt the need to be accompanied by a paralegal or another attorney when entering the same courtroom as Nevarez, according to the warning. Nevarez denies ever sexually harassing the attorney, but admitted to providing her with his phone number and sending her a message on Facebook.
He explained he provides attorneys with his number for when they have questions and to mentor them, the warning reads.
The commission reported Nevarez had not taken a sexual harassment training since receiving the complaint and has only attended a training twice in the 11 years he has been a district judge.
He is being ordered by the commission to take four hours of instruction with a mentor, with two hours each on demeanor and sexual harassment within 60 days of receiving the notice.
