The Hon. Eric J. Starnes is a judge for the Tarrant County Criminal Court No. 7 in Texas. He was elected to the bench on November 8, 2022.
Prior to his election, Starnes was an assistant district attorney with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, a position to which he was named in 2017. He has also spent time as an attorney in private practice.
Starnes earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Sam Houston State University (1993) and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Texas (2000). He later completed a J.D. at Texas Wesleyan University School of Law in 2006.
His memberships have included the Tarrant County Bar Association and the Tarrant County Republican Party.
Born and raised in Texas, Starnes is a former law enforcement officer, having served with the Euless Police Department (1993 to 2017). During his tenure there, he rose through the ranks, eventually becoming Lieutenant of Investigations Command.
He is registered as a Republican.