Meet Judge Hilary Unger 

Born and raised in Miami Beach, Florida, Judge Hilary Unger relocated to Houston in 2007 after the birth of her first child. She was eager to be closer to family and to further build her legal career in a vibrant and growing city.

A graduate of the University of Florida College of Law, her broad range of experience affords her an impartial perspective, allowing her to view cases without bias. Her extremely-high code of moral, ethical values is supported by her years as an assistant district attorney, as a public defender, and as a private attorney in both New York and Texas where she dedicated her time and passion to helping economically-disadvantaged clients.

Hilary’s father was a proud member of the IBEW, while her grandfather was an organizer for the IBEW across the South. Hilary's grandmother was a Democratic party chair in Florida, and Hilary continues the family tradition of civic involvement. As a former member of the Association of Legal Aid Attorneys (UAW Local 2325 - 1989-1992), she walked picket lines with her fellow union members. She was a legal observer for the ACLU, a member of numerous Democratic  organizations, a Volunteer Deputy Registrar, and has canvassed neighborhoods, attended phone banks and volunteered for various political campaigns. 

Hilary is proud of her daughter, Mari, and son, Preston, who eagerly attend meetings, parades, marches, phone banks, and block walks for various organizations.  

As a judge she has been the chair of the Fair Defense Management Committee where she worked to improve the quality of indigent defense in Harris County and where she also initiated a pilot program to seamlessly appoint the Public Defender to represent indigent defendants.  She is also volunteers her time on the STAR Court’s Wednesday docket and serves as a co-chair of the Community Supervision and Pretrial Services Standing Committee.  

Harris County needs a judge who can provide fair, equal, and impartial justice, with compassion for all individuals. With over two and a half decades of experience as both a prosecutor and defense attorney, and now serving in her second term as judge, Hilary Unger continues to be the right choice for Judge of the 248th Criminal District Court.