The Honorable Tanisa Jeffers
Judge Tanisa Jeffers was sworn in as Justice of the Peace, Pct. 5 on December 18, 2024. An Austin resident for over 30 years, she is also the proud mother of three young adults — two daughters and one son.
Judge Jeffers was born in Dallas, Texas, where her love of law began. Her parents came from farming families and didn't have the chance to graduate high school. Her father always maintained that with an education, he would have become a lawyer so that he could help his community. She works hard to make him proud and live out his mission—providing access to justice and equity in her community.
She completed her undergraduate degrees in 1992 with a B.J. in Journalism and a B.A. in History from the University of Texas at Austin. After graduation, she went to work for the Office of Attorney General in its Crime Victims’ Compensation Program, which was still in its infancy. Her experience there solidified that she would attend law school. After returning to the University of Texas for her law degree, she became a licensed Texas attorney in 2000.
Following law school, Judge Jeffers specialized in family and criminal law in Travis County and the surrounding counties. She focused on cases involving clients with mental health diagnoses (MHMR), demonstrating a deep understanding of their unique legal needs. As a certified mediator, she used the negotiation strategies she learned and mastered in securing appropriate outcomes for her clients.
Her work supporting clients with mental health issues, led to her being appointed as the Travis County Drug Court Defense Attorney from 2014- 2018. Because of her mental health background, Judge Jeffers was appointed by the Austin City Council as a Substitute Associate Judge in March 2018 for the Austin Municipal Court. In that role, she later served as the full-time Night Court Magistration Judge.
Judge Jeffers is dedicated to serving her community, having previously served on the boards of both the Downtown Austin Community Court and the State Bar of Texas Committee on Legal Services to the Indigent. During the pandemic, a time when violent crime greatly increased, Judge Jeffers was proud to return to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and serve as Hearing Officer for the Texas Crime Victims Compensation Program.
Judge Tanisa Jeffers was elected as Justice of the Peace, Pct. 5, in Travis County, Texas, in November 2024. In her courtroom as JP for Precinct 5, she strives to improve the criminal justice system by providing opportunities for individuals to share their stories, resolve legal issues, and access valuable community resources.
