Dallas County District Attorney-elect Amber Givens says transition lacks cooperation from current administration

The incoming Dallas County district attorney says she's not getting the cooperation she needs to assume the office from the current administration. 

It's a complaint by Amber Givens that outgoing District Attorney John Creuzot vehemently denies. 

Heath Harris was first assistant district attorney when his boss, Craig Watkins, lost a reelection bid to Susan Hawk in 2014. Heath says, despite the transition from a Democrat to a Republican, he made every effort to make the transition as smooth and as transparent as possible. 

"When I was in Craig's administration again, we were in a hostile election with Judge Hawk, but, yet, we still made sure that she had all the information that she needed to start her administration," Harris said.

Harris is a criminal defense attorney who now works on the transition team for incoming Dallas County District Attorney Amber Givens, who defeated Creuzot in the March primary. 

Because there's no Republican on the November ballot, Givens will be sworn in come January. 

Heath says the cooperation from the outgoing administration is unlike anything he's experienced. 

"You want to make sure that this office continues to run functions in a proper manner," he said. "And right now, I don't feel like they're giving her the tools she needs to do that."

In a statement to CBS News Texas, Givens said, "I have not spoken with District Attorney Creuzot since our final debate in February 2026, nor have I received any communication from him.
I have consistently attempted to approach this transition in a spirit of professionalism, collaboration, and respect for the employees of the District Attorney's Office [DA's Office]. I have repeatedly offered to participate in and support transition-related discussions and meetings with the employees of the DA's Office. To date, those offers have gone unanswered."

Givens says emails between her and Creuzot's office starting in April through last month reveal her requests for organizational charts, budgets and grant information, as well as special programs. 

She says the responses have been slow, often including explanations that the office is "quite busy" and that some of the requests have been "quite extensive in scope." 

Creuzot insists his office has worked hard to be helpful to Givens and said, "We respectfully disagree with the characterization that the office has not been cooperative."

In fact, the DA's office says its leaders met with Givens as recently as Friday. 

"During that meeting, we outlined additional materials that will be provided and proposed a regular monthly meeting schedule through the remainder of the transition period to ensure a consistent and efficient flow of information."

In her most recent email, Givens said she is "particularly concerned about ensuring the key personnel are able to begin work on January 1, 2027."

Harris said Givens has had to resort to filing massive open records requests to get information. 

"If the newly elected DA is having to do PIAs, you know, to get information, or having to constantly, you know, contact the DA DAS office to get the information that she needs to, you know, again make the transition to be ready day one to continue protecting the citizens of Dallas County," Harrisa said. "Then there is no transition. That's not good."

Givens' full statement

"I have not spoken with District Attorney Creuzot since our final debate in February 2026, nor have I received any communication from him. However, since April 2026, I have consistently attempted to approach this transition in a spirit of professionalism, collaboration, and respect for the employees of the District Attorney's Office [DA's Office]. I have repeatedly offered to participate in and support transition-related discussions and meetings with the employees of the DA's Office. To date, those offers have gone unanswered.

On April 1, 2026, I was informed that I could not directly communicate with DA personnel and that all transition-related requests and correspondence were to be directed through First Assistant District Attorney Paul Hamilton. I complied with that instruction and directed my requests accordingly. In many instances, I received no response, delayed responses, or responses that did not address the information requested.

As a result, in May 2026, I began filing Public Information Act requests to obtain basic personnel, organizational, and operational information. I have spoken with several elected District Attorneys across Texas and throughout the country, and none have had to resort to filing Public Information Act requests to obtain basic transition-related information.

This is not about politics nor positioning. It is about the people of Dallas County. My purpose in seeking transition-related information has always been guided by my commitment to the people of Dallas County and to the employees of DA's Office who serve them each day. The people of Dallas County did not elect me on March 3, 2026, to begin transition work on January 1, 2027.

Delays in obtaining basic operational information do not simply affect transition planning. They increase the likelihood that additional time, resources, and taxpayer dollars will ultimately be required to identify, evaluate, and address issues that could have been proactively reviewed during the transition period.

A successful transition is about serving the people of Dallas County while ensuring they receive effective and uninterrupted service. It is also about supporting the employees of the DA's Office, preserving institutional knowledge, minimizing disruption, and inspiring public confidence. The people of Dallas County deserve nothing less."

DA's full statement

"We respectfully disagree with the characterization that the office has not been cooperative.

The Dallas County District Attorney's Office remains committed to supporting a professional and orderly transition.

Since the election, we have been in regular communication with Ms. Givens personally regarding transition-related matters. Most recently, we met with Ms. Givens in person on Friday to discuss her priorities and information requests.

During that meeting, we outlined additional materials that will be provided and proposed a regular monthly meeting schedule through the remainder of the transition period to ensure a consistent and efficient flow of information. We are currently awaiting her response regarding the setting of meeting dates.

Ms. Givens has requested a significant amount of information, and our staff has been working diligently to respond while continuing to carry out the daily responsibilities of operating one of the largest prosecutor's offices in the country. In some instances, additional clarification has been necessary to ensure we understand the specific information being requested and can provide the most responsive materials available.

Our goal remains the same: to provide information that will assist Ms. Givens and her team as they prepare to assume office in January and to support a smooth transition for the benefit of the employees of this office and the residents of Dallas County."