The 2023 Texas Legislature created three new district courts for Harris County in order to ease a backlog of felony cases. And Gov. Greg Abbott appointed three Republicans, all Harris County prosecutors, as judges for the new 486th, 487th and 488th district courts.

The appointees were Aaron Burdette in the 486th; Lori Deangelo in the 487th; and Matthew Peneguy in the 488th.