Democrat Monica Purdy faces Republican Ben Smith in the Nov. 3, 2026, election for Place 6 on Texas’s 5th Court of Appeals, according to the state’s certified ballot.
Experience
Purdy serves as a Dallas County civil district judge. The county’s court-administration page identifies her as presiding civil district judge, and the State Bar directory lists her at the 95th District Court.
In her published Ballotpedia candidate responses, Purdy points to experience as a district judge, civil magistrate and municipal judge. Her profile lists degrees from Spelman College and Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law.
What the office does
The 5th Court of Appeals reviews civil and criminal cases from Collin, Dallas, Grayson, Hunt, Kaufman and Rockwall counties. Denton County is outside the appellate district.
Cases generally go before three-justice panels reviewing the trial-court record and briefs. Their rulings can affect appealed civil disputes and criminal cases involving residents of those counties.
A justice applies the law in cases before the court rather than passing legislation or setting local taxes. No specific new spending program or costed implementation plan was verified for this profile.
This profile uses the certified ballot, official court and professional records, and published candidate information.
The Prosper-Celina Journal did not receive a direct questionnaire response from the candidate and does not endorse candidates.
