Lawyer no-shows jerk judge’s order to appear in court after critiquing him for berating IT worker

A Texas attorney at the center of a public dispute involving a Harris County judge did not appear in court on Thursday, despite an order requiring him to do so, while a group of local defense lawyers showed up in his support.

James Stafford, a Houston attorney, was scheduled to appear before Harris County Judge Nathan Milliron. Instead, roughly a dozen members of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association gathered in the courtroom to back Stafford, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The dispute stems from Judge Milliron’s accusation that Stafford engaged in improper “ex parte” contact by allegedly reaching out about the judge’s treatment of a court IT worker without notifying other parties involved in any case. Stafford, who says he had never previously appeared before Milliron in court, rejected the accusation and did not comply with what he viewed as an invalid order.

Brent Mayr, who leads the lawyers’ association and has defended Stafford publicly, said attorneys waited for about 90 minutes for the judge’s bailiff to call Stafford into court, but that never happened. Instead, Milliron moved ahead with his scheduled docket without addressing the matter.

Mayr told the Houston Chronicle that he believes no further action is being taken by the court in relation to the incident.

Although concerns about Judge Milliron’s conduct have been raised, members of the defense bar have not filed a formal complaint with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Some attorneys who attended Thursday’s proceedings said the judge’s demeanor in court appeared calmer than in previous instances, while suggesting increased scrutiny may have influenced his behavior.

The situation traces back to viral video footage that showed Milliron angrily confronting a courtroom IT employee who was attempting to resolve an audio issue during proceedings. A separate recording later surfaced showing him in another tense exchange with a defense attorney, during which he ordered her removal from the courtroom and threatened her with being “cuffed.”

Additional emails attributed to Milliron also circulated publicly, in which he emphasized his position as an elected judge and directed a staff member he referred to as a “subordinate” to comply with instructions.

Milliron has not issued a public statement addressing the controversy. He also deactivated his Facebook account, which he had previously used to livestream courtroom proceedings.

Despite the criticism, Brent Mayr said he believes an apology is still owed to Stafford, the IT worker involved, and others affected by the judge’s actions, adding that the judge should acknowledge the situation and commit to changing future conduct.

Judge Milliron has served on the 215th District Court bench since January 2025. While local court administrators have limited authority over an elected judge, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct retains the power to investigate complaints regarding judicial behavior.