.png)
Elgin Municipal Judge Amanda Carter will retain her seat on the bench after City Council unanimously reappointed her Sept. 2 to another two-year term with a slight increase in compensation.
The reappointment extends Carter’s service through Sept. 30, 2027, as required by the city charter, which calls for council to approve the municipal judge every two years. Carter has served in the role since 2016, overseeing cases that range from traffic violations
to misdemeanor offenses. “I love serving and it is a privilege,” Carter said.
Her new contract increases her base pay from $1,231 to $1,500 every two weeks, her first raise in about eight years, according to city records. She will also be eligible for cost-of-living adjustments approved for city employees unless council votes otherwise.
Fees for magistrations of Elgin Police Department arrests and warrants will also double, from $75 to $150 per case.
The contract spells out Carter’s responsibilities as an independent contractor rather than a city employee. She will not receive group benefits but will be reimbursed for mileage and reasonable expenses incurred on behalf of the city, subject to restrictions set by the city manager.
In addition, Carter is required to submit monthly reports listing all defendants magistrated and the dates of those hearings. She is expected to remain available to assist the Elgin Police Department within reasonable limits and to exercise judicial discretion in signing arrest warrants — requiring her to communicate with officers when warrants are not signed.
A 2003 graduate of Elgin High School, Carter earned a bachelor’s degree in government with honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 2006 and a law degree from Texas Tech University in 2010. She is managing shareholder of local law firm Carter & Denham, PLLC, and has served as a member of the Texas Bar Foundation and the State Bar’s District 8 Grievance Committee, where she helps review attorney discipline cases.
