John Creuzot

{{Short description|American lawyer currently serving as District Attorney of Dallas County, Texas.}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = John Creuzot

| image = John Creuzot 2022 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Creuzot in 2022

| office = Dallas County District Attorney

| term_start = 2019

| term_end =

| predecessor = Faith Johnson

| successor =

| birth_name = John Creuzot

| birth_date =

| birth_place = New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = Democratic

| alma_mater = University of North Texas (BA)
Dedman School of Law (JD)

| occupation = Lawyer

| parents = Percy Creuzot (father)

}}

John Creuzot is an American lawyer and retired judge serving as the Dallas County District Attorney since 2019.

Life

Creuzot was born in New Orleans and moved to Houston when he was nine with his family.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2018-11-26 |title=The Era of Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot Is Almost Here |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2018/11/the-era-of-dallas-county-district-attorney-john-creuzot-is-almost-here/ |access-date=2023-11-23 |website=D Magazine |language=en-US}} He is African-American.{{Cite web |date=2017-02-14 |title=Former judge John Creuzot announces run for Dallas County District Attorney |url=https://www.fox4news.com/news/former-judge-john-creuzot-announces-run-for-dallas-county-district-attorney |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth |language=en-US}} In 1969, his father, Percy "Frenchy" Creuzot, Jr., founded Frenchy's Chicken, a restaurant chain in Houston, Texas, selling Louisiana Creole cuisine.{{Cite web |last=Shinneman |first=Shawn |date=2019-02-07 |title=How DA John Creuzot Helped His Dad Build One of Houston's Favorite Chicken Joints |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/publications/d-magazine/2019/february/how-john-creuzots-dad-built-frenchys-chicken-one-of-houstons-favorite-chicken-joints/ |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=D Magazine |language=en-US}} Creuzot completed an undergraduate degree in philosophy from the University of North Texas in 1978.{{Cite web |title=University of North Texas North Texan Online Summer 2002 : Alumni Awards |url=https://northtexan.unt.edu/archives/s02/aawards.htm |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=northtexan.unt.edu}} He earned a J.D. from Southern Methodist University School of Law in 1982{{Cite web |title=State Bar of Texas {{!}} Find A Lawyer {{!}} John Coleman Creuzot |url=https://www.texasbar.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Find_A_Lawyer&template=/Customsource/MemberDirectory/MemberDirectoryDetail.cfm&ContactID=164571 |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=www.texasbar.com}}{{Cite web |last=Magazine |first=D. |date=2018-11-26 |title=The Era of Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot Is Almost Here |url=https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2018/11/the-era-of-dallas-county-district-attorney-john-creuzot-is-almost-here/ |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=D Magazine |language=en-US}}

As a felony district court judge in 1998, Creuzot founded the Dallas Initiative for Diversion and Expedited Rehabilitation and Treatment (DIVERT court).{{Cite web |last=Goodwyn |first=Wade |date=August 15, 2008 |title=Texas Court Aims To 'DIVERT' First-Time Offenders |url=https://www.npr.org/2008/08/15/93614135/texas-court-aims-to-divert-first-time-offenders |website=NPR.org}} This program diverted nonviolent drug offenders to treatment and counseling programs, resulting in a 60% reduction in recidivism and substantial cost savings{{Cite journal |last=1. Fomby 2. Rangaprasad |first=1. Dr. Thomas B. 2. Ms. Vasudha |date=August 31, 2002 |title=DIVERT COURT OF DALLAS COUNTY: COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS |url=https://s2.smu.edu/tfomby/DivertFinal.pdf |journal=Department of Economics Southern Methodist University |pages=24}} Following his retirement from the judiciary, Dallas County, Texas renamed its drug treatment facility the Judge John C. Creuzot Judicial Treatment Center in May 2013.{{Cite web |title=John Creuzot {{!}} Prison and Jail Innovation Lab |url=https://pjil.lbj.utexas.edu/profiles/john-creuzot |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=pjil.lbj.utexas.edu |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Judge John C Creuzot Judicial Treatment Center Lancaster, Wilmer {{!}} Drug Rehab Directory |url=https://www.treatmentcentersdirectory.com/Texas/Wilmer/judge-john-c-creuzot-judicial-treatment-center-lancaster/ |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=Treatment Centers Directory |language=en}}

In 2018, Creuzot was elected to the office of Dallas County Criminal District Attorney.{{Cite web |date=2018-11-07 |title=Democrat John Creuzot wins in race for Dallas DA against GOP appointee |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2018/11/07/democrat-john-creuzot-wins-in-race-for-dallas-da-against-gop-appointee/ |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=Dallas News |language=en}} He retained the office in a 2022 election.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2022-11-08 |title=Dallas County DA Wins Second Term, Holds Off Familiar Challenger Faith Johnson |url=https://www.nbcdfw.com/decision-2022/dallas-county-da-john-creuzot-holds-off-familiar-challenger-faith-johnson-wins-second-term/3116851/ |access-date=2023-11-23 |website=NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth |language=en-US}} Creuzot's 2022 campaign received its largest contribution from the George Soros-funded Texas Justice and Public Safety PAC.{{cite web | title = Candidate/Officeholder Campaign Finance Report | publisher = Dallas County | url = https://www.dallascounty.org/department/countyclerk/courtorders/finrpts/Creuzot_John/Sep2022_Oct2022.pdf | accessdate = March 12, 2024}}{{cite news | last = Richie | first = Jonathan | date = November 13, 2022 | title = Dallas DA Creuzot Financially Supported by Soros | url = https://dallasexpress.com/city/dallas-da-creuzot-financially-supported-by-soros/ | work = The Dallas Express}}

Awards and honors

University of North Texas President’s Award and Outstanding Alumni Award{{Cite web |title=Past Recipients |url=https://untalumni.com/events/alumni-awards/past/ |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=UNT Alumni Association |date=3 September 2021 |language=en-US}}
Dallas Observer Best Criminal Judge Award{{Cite web |title=Best Brain Food for Seniors - Richland College's Emeritus Program |url=https://www.dallasobserver.com/bestof/best-brain-food-for-seniors-7214562 |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=Dallas Observer |language=en}}
Southern Methodist University School of Law Outstanding Alumni Award{{Cite web |title=DAA Previous Winners |url=https://www.smu.edu/Law/Alumni/Distinguished-Alumni-Awards/DAAPreviousWinners |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=www.smu.edu |language=en}}
Dallas Bar Association “Trial Lawyer of the Year” Award (2024)