Houston, September 21, 2026. Stephanie Morales, the Democratic nominee for judge of the 180th Criminal District Court in Harris County, owes $45,300 in civil penalties to the Texas Ethics Commission for late campaign finance reports, according to the commission’s public records. Separately, the State Bar of Texas confirmed that her law license was suspended for nonpayment of fees from September 1 until September 16, 2026.
Morales, a Houston criminal defense attorney, faces incumbent Judge Tami Pierce (R) on the November 3 general election ballot. The 180th is one of Harris County’s criminal district courts, which hear felony cases.
$45,300 in late filing penalties, referred for collection
The Texas Ethics Commission publishes a delinquent filer list of candidates and officeholders who owe unpaid penalties. The current list, updated September 8, 2026, includes an entry for Nora Stephanie Morales with a filer status of “Candidate for State Representative,” a fine of $45,300, and a “Y” in the column indicating the debt has been referred to the Texas Attorney General for collection.
Morales ran for Texas House District 138 in 2022 and again in 2024, when she lost the general election to incumbent Rep. Lacey Hull.
The penalties are civil fines for filing required campaign finance reports late. Under Texas Election Code Section 254.042, a late report carries a $500 penalty, certain reports add $100 for each day they are late, and a report that remains unpaid after a formal warning can carry a penalty of up to $10,000. The entry does not reflect a finding on any other kind of violation.
Morales is not alone on the list, which carries 857 entries, including sitting officeholders and several judges. Her balance is among the larger ones.
License suspended September 1, reinstated September 16
According to the State Bar of Texas, Morales’s law license, bar card number 24078030, was suspended on September 1, 2026, for nonpayment of fees, and reinstated on September 16, 2026.
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