William A. Knight is a conservative running for Judge of the 371st District Court in an open 2022 Republican primary. Sheriff Bill Waybourn proudly endorses William Knight for judge. William was voted Child Abuse Prosecutor of the Year for Tarrant County by his law enforcement peers in 2019. Early voting Feb. 14 - 25, Election Day March 1.
William was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas and attended All Saints’ Episcopal School. Knight earned his B.B.A. degree at Southern Methodist University, and his J.D. and M.B.A. degrees at St. Mary’s University where he was on the dean’s list and graduated with honors. Upon graduating, William dedicated his life to keeping our community safe. He served as a Staff Attorney at the Texas Department of Public Safety before serving at the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office. William is board certified in criminal law.
William is the Assistant Chief Prosecutor in the District Attorney’s Intimate Partner Violence Unit (IPV) seeking justice for abused men and women. He previously prosecuted child abuse and elderly abuse cases in the Special Victims Unit (SVU). In 2019, Knight was voted Child Abuse Prosecutor of the Year for Tarrant County by his law enforcement peers. William consulted with detectives on numerous complex criminal matters from child sexual abuse to serious intimate partner violence cases. William has also lectured for police departments on best practices for criminal investigations. He was named Top Attorney in Criminal Law for 2021 in Fort Worth Magazine. Knight also lectures at Texas A&M School of Law and for the State Bar of Texas.
Knight’s conservative judicial philosophy will guide his decision making on the bench. During law school, Knight served as president of The Federalist Society and worked with conservative leaders like Senator Ted Cruz and others from the Heritage Foundation and CATO Institute to bring a conservative perspective to law school. Knight will strictly interpret the law as written and never legislate from the bench.
Knight’s real-world experience includes his leadership at Templeton Machine which was founded in 1951 by his grandfather who served in Third Army under General George Patton during World War II. Knight is a fourth generation Texan, a twelfth generation American and is a member of Sons of the American Revolution. He enjoys golf, college football and hunting.
Enforcing the law is not just my chosen career path- it’s in my blood. I grew up listening to my dad, Assistant Criminal District Attorney Ronnie Knight, talk about the importance of a judge’s role in court proceedings. He believed that the only thing worse than a judge not knowing the law is a judge not caring to know the law. He was right; such a situation should never exist in a free society like ours.
I’m the only candidate in my race with felony trial experience in two special prosecution units- that matters. My SVU and IPV unit experience makes me the ideal candidate to enforce the laws as written. The rule of law has never been more important, and it will be an honor to continue enforcing our laws for our community as judge.
I was born and raised in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, so I know what a privilege it is to live in a safe community. We have a strong history of electing judges who care to correctly follow the law and I am humbly asking you for the privilege to carry on in that tradition.
I was president of The Federalist Society chapter at St. Mary’s University School of Law, and I understand the importance of electing lawyers who have a principled judicial philosophy. A judge should interpret the law as written and never legislate from the bench. Justice Scalia summarized it best in reference to the Constitution when he said, “…it says what it says, and it doesn’t say what it doesn’t say.” In my court we will do everything we can to correctly follow the law. The rule of law is the cornerstone of liberty, and we need judges who understand its importance- I do. I look forward to earning your vote.
Sincerely, William A. Knight
The Federalist Society, former Chapter President
State Bar of Texas
State Bar of Minnesota
District of Columbia Bar Association
Tarrant County Bar Association
Texas District and County Attorney’s Association
Phi Delta Phi, Legal Honors Fraternity
Sons of the American Revolution
Southern Methodist University Mustang Club
All Saints’ Episcopal School, Board of Trustee Member
All Saints’ Episcopal School, President of the Alumni Association
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Parishioner
Bible Study Fellowship, Member
Sheriff Bill Waybourn
Arlington Police Association
Constable Darrell Huffman
Constable Dale Clark
Former Constable Clint Burgess
Former Constable David Woodruff
Fort Worth Star-Telegram Editorial Board
Keller Republican Club
Texas Homeschool Coalition Association
Vanessa Mason, GOP Area Leader HD 101, Precinct Chair #2235
Steve Eklund, GOP Area Leader HD 94, Precinct Chair #2007
Chuck Mogged, GOP Area Leader HD 98, Precinct Chair #4321
Kathryn Moore, GOP Area Leader HD 99 and Precinct Chair #4065
James Ashby, GOP Area Leader HD 92 and Precinct Chair #3335
Jeremy Bradford, former Executive Director of the Tarrant County GOP
Darl Easton, former GOP Tarrant County Chair 2018-2020
Janna Easton, Precinct Chair #3212
Anne Gebhart, Precinct Chair #3157
Dave Gebhart, Former Bedford City Councilmember
Mayor John Huffman, Southlake
Former Southlake Mayor Laura Hill
Ross McMullen, Keller City Council
Mayor Oscar Trevino, North Richland Hills
Jesse Johnson, Crowley City Councilmember and Precinct Chair #1023
Mayor L. Kelly Jones, Westworth Village
Vince and Mona Puente
Barbara Nash, former State Rep and former Arlington City Council
Craig Ownby, Precinct Chair #2613
Shanda Perkins, Precinct Chair #1271
Melba McDow, Former SREC 10, Precinct #2219
Cynthia Ware, Precinct #3176
Dr. Mark Hansen, Precinct Chair #2055
David “Devy” Archaya, South Asian Republican Club
Michael Sabat, Tarrant Asian Republican Assembly
Mona Bailey, Vice-Chair Tarrant County Republican Party and Precinct Chair #3333
Doris LaFavers
Michael Barber, Precinct Chair #1431
Elouise Kennedy, Precinct Chair #3387
Cynthia Ware, Precinct Chair #3176
Spencer Finch, Precinct Chair #4344
David Halvorson, Former SERC 12, Precinct Chair #3038
Anne Weydeck, Mansfield Planning and Zoning Commission, Precinct Chair #2645
Kimberly George, Precinct Chair #2205
Jackie Patricia, Precinct Chair
Mary Garza, Precinct Chair #2438
Susan Tate, Precinct Chair # 2280
Mark Davis, Precinct Chair #2220
Janel Jones, Precinct Chair #1151
Cynthia Wade, Precinct Chair #3176
Bert Smith, Precinct Chair #2313
Loraine Bethke, Precinct Chair #2358
Carrie Dugan, Precinct Chair #3637
Gary Johnson, Precinct Chair #2224
Tom Dowdy, Precinct Chair #3043
Ruben Jiminez, Precinct Chair #1094
Bill Perdue, Precinct Chair #2355
Shannon Wood, Precinct Chair #3365
Jesse Taylor, Precinct Chair #1297
Melba Booker, Precinct Chair #4705
Thomas Dowdy, Precinct Chair #3043
Chris Bertholet, Precinct Chair #2319
Chares Batez, Precinct Chair #3443
Sheridan King, Precinct Chair #3283
Bill James, Precinct Chair #2281
Tony Sims, Precinct Chair #4096, Former Mayor Edgecliff Village
Devi "David" Acharya
Christi Clanton
Joseph Silvas
Brenda White
Anne Coker
Dee Kelly Jr., Kelly, Hart and Hallman
Albon Head, Jackson Walker LLP
Dr. David and Sally Beyer
Watt Stephens
Ann and Bill Greenhill
Wes and Patti Berkovsky
Stephen and Pamela Gilchrist
Charlie and Trina Gilchrist
Obie Hallum
Raleigh Hallum
Bill Vassar
Hal A. Brown
Brian Costanza
Allenna Bangs
Betty Harvey
Tim Roels
Keira Moody
Breanne Clark
Jody and Patti Ambrose
Brian and Elizabeth Poe
Whit and Katherine Wolman
J. D. Ambrose IV
Tyrell and Caroline Hearn
Dr. Brent and Debi Hicks
Cathy Moates
Dr. David and Melinda Teitelbaum
Janet and Ned Hardin
Margaret and David Motheral
Gordon and Julie Rhodes
Joe and Lori Jones
Rush Vann
Marion Knight
Mike and Patti McConnell
Charlie and Linda Templeton
Edward and Ginny Cowan
Kyle and Whitney Morris
Rusty and Peggy Knight
Hannah Bell
Jessica Theriot
Lee and Miriam Sorrels
Rusty and Peggy Knight
Christopher and Stormy Lavelle
Pat Lorimer
Wes and Patti Berkovsky
Rick and Kathy Hopwood
Judy Kellogg
Barbara McCoy
Trudy Welke
Joe and Autumn Stevenson
Mac and Lorel Stevenson
Mike Weber
Nate Bishop
Alan Branch
Trisha Walker
Dara DeWall
Charles Cisneros
Morgan Speer
Elisha Bradford
Justin Leathers
JonLee Martinez
Glen Bucey
Ben Jones
Dwight and Ellen Luter
Jason and Cat Luter
Robb and Deanna Webb
Jason and Morgan Morris
Michael and Lisa Formanek
Jamey Ice
Adam Rizzieri
Adair Ewin Shannon
Bill and Cyd Shaw
Suzie Russell
Suzie and Steve Hudgens
Ray Napolitan defense lawyer
William Ray, Lawyer
Kelly Pulls, Lawyer
Ray Napolitan, Lawyer
Charles and Ginny Miller
Francisco Correa, Jr.
Wyatt Curtaz
Riki Russell
Johnny, Shannon and William Newbern
Danielle Reagan, Lawyer
Sarah Clayton
Paul and Charlotte Tripplehorn
Bodie Freeman