Judge Faith Johnson is used to hard work. In her 11 years as judge of the 363rd Criminal District Court, she has handled over 1,800 felony cases a year. Her court averages 65-75 trials a year.

            Judge Johnson can also be considered a pioneer of sorts. She was the first African-American woman to be appointed to the position of State Criminal District Judge in Texas. She was also the first African-American to attain the position of Chief Felony Prosecutor over the child abuse unit in the Dallas County District Attorney’s office in 1987. For her efforts, she was awarded the Trailblazer Award from the South Dallas Business and Professional Womens Club in 1990. She’s received numerous other leadership and community service awards from various groups in and around Dallas.

            In addition to working hard on the bench, she also works hard in the community.  She’s a public speaker, educates Dallas children on courtroom procedures, and conducts crime prevention seminars. In addition, she’s held annual workshops to educate local ministers on legal procedures.

            Having received her training in the trenches by serving as an Assistant District Attorney, Judge Johnson more than understands the ingredients of a trial.

            Judge Johnson is from Atlanta, Georgia and is the youngest of 13 children, nine girls and four boys. She learned to play classical piano at the age of five. Her favorite composer is the Russian pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff.

            She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and a Master of Education in Community Counseling from Georgia State University in Atlanta. Judge Johnson  received her law degree from Texas Southern University in 1980. She has put all her degrees to work by holding positions as a psychological counselor in addition to assistant district attorney before being appointed to the bench in 1989. She was instrumental in assisting in developing the child abuse unit in the district attorney’s office prior to becoming the Chief Prosecutor.

            The impact of the psychology and education degrees are obvious when Judge Johnson ponders the challenges of being on the bench.

            "You have to be mentally, physically, and spiritually alert,” Judge Johnson said. “You have to have integrity, be fair, just, and call it the way it should be called."

            There is no greater example of her commitment to responsibility and community than "Dope Day," which she holds once or twice a month in her courtroom.  Despite a heavy caseload, Judge Johnson carves out the time to work with troubled probationers.  Unlike docket call-type probation reviews, she lectures to groups of seven to 20 persons about substance abuse. One should not be fooled, however, by her willingness to listen and help. A positive drug test can easily convert compassion into incarceration.

            Judge Johnson's reputation for both fairness and toughness sometimes results in random phone calls from distressed parents. "Unofficial probation" has been the outcome of such cries for help. A young person with no criminal history is placed on "probation" including conditions such as respecting their parents, doing their homework, writing reports on respect, curfews, etc.  Another plus for the community. 

            Like Rachmaninoff's dark and massive chords, Judge Johnson has a dramatic effect on the lives of those she touches.