Dallas police arrested state district Judge Carlos Cortez on Dec. 28 on allegations of family violence assault, after a woman alleged that he choked her, dragged her by her hair, leaned her over the balcony of his residence and threatened to kill her, according to a Dallas Police Department offense record.

But in a motion filed Dec. 30, Cortez alleges that the woman was intoxicated and became violent toward him and that he tried to prevent her from jumping off his balcony.