No more masks in courtroom, Texas Supreme Court tells judge with autoimmune disorder
A Dallas County judge in Texas must stop requiring people in her courtroom to wear face masks, even though she has an autoimmune disorder, according to an advisory order issued Friday by the Texas Supreme Court. (Image from Shutterstock)
Updated: A Dallas County judge in Texas must stop requiring people in her courtroom to wear face masks, even though she has an autoimmune disorder, according to an advisory order issued Friday by the Texas Supreme Court.
KERA News has the story.
The policy of Judge D’Metria Benson of the Dallas County Court at Law No. 1 in Texas is “an unfair and unduly burdensome imposition” on people in her court, violating a state rule on judicial administration, according to the order.
In a May letter, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock asked Benson for clarification of the policy, stating that it was likely unlawful.
Despite the Benson’s health challenges, “the facial visibility of courtroom participants is an essential feature of a properly functioning justice system,” according to the May 29 order.
In her May 22 response, Benson said she has a rare autoimmune disorder that makes her highly susceptible to infection, noting that in January 2025 she contracted a severe infections after a surgical procedure “that resulted in me being admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU), where I was placed in medical coma for 10 days.”
In a June 1 statement sent to the ABA Journal, Benson said she “will of course follow the Texas Supreme Court’s order,” and that she wanted “to clarify that my masking policy is based upon sheer medical necessity and is not related to preventing the spread of COVID-19,” she wrote.
She added that she “was advised by my physicians to take stringent precautions because any infection, illness or disease could be life-threatening. I do not exaggerate the level of my susceptibility.”
The policy started March 2, 2023, just after the emergency order allowing judges to impose mask mandates ended, the Texas Lawbook originally reported.
Updated June 1 at 3:16 p.m. to include the response and the statement from Judge D’Metria Benson of the Dallas County Court at Law No. 1 in Texas.
Write a letter to the editor, share a story tip or update, or report an error.
