Judges who receive public sanctions from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct usually have a tough time getting re-elected in Texas. Yet Dallas County primary voters yesterday re-elected two Democratic trial judges who were previously disciplined for their bad behavior on the bench.

Etta Mullin, a former judge who was disciplined for threatening to handcuff an eight-month pregnant prosecutor to her chair so she would remain in the courtroom for trial, was elected to Dallas County Criminal Court at Law No. 10. Mullin, with 52 percent of the vote, defeated Roberto Canas, a veteran judge whose domestic violence court was recognized as a model by the U.S. Department of Justice.