DEREK ESTEP ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR WASHINGTON CO. D.A.
(courtesy photo)
Washington County’s First Assistant District Attorney is seeking election as the county’s lead prosecutor.
Derek Estep declared his candidacy today (Monday) in the March 2024 Republican primary for Washington County District Attorney. Present District Attorney Julie Renken announced last week that she would retire upon completing her current term in office.
Estep has been a prosecutor for 13 years, 10 of those in Washington County. He says serving the public in the pursuit of justice has been a fulfilling experience and aspires to continue doing so at a higher level.
As First Assistant District Attorney, Estep specializes in prosecuting a myriad of felony cases touching on many aspects of criminal law. He serves as the District Attorney’s liaison to the Domestic Violence High Risk Team.
Estep was also instrumental in setting up an interlocal government agreement between the Texas Department of Public Safety crime lab and Washington, Austin, Fayette and Lee counties to fund a controlled substance analyst. This, Estep says, has improved case turnaround times from over a year to less than two months or even six weeks, leading to resolution much more quickly.
Estep received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the College of Charleston, and a Juris Doctorate from the Charleston School of Law. After moving back to Texas, he began his career as a prosecutor in Eastland County, where he served for three years as an Assistant District Attorney.
Estep is an active member of Calvary Baptist Church and its building and security committee, along with its sound and technology team. He serves on the board for the Run for the Youth of Washington County, is a graduate of the Leadership Washington County 2020 class, and was made an honorary member of the Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association in 2015. He enjoys spending time with his wife and two children and practicing and teaching Brazilian Jui Jitsu.
Joel Romo, friend of the Estep family, will serve as Estep’s campaign treasurer.