ABOUT JOHN MESSINGER

People in government need more humility. Our courts are for everyone regardless of creed, but I believe God’s only Son had to die to pay for my sins. He doesn’t love me any more than He does the worst criminal. I’m not better than anyone whose case would come before me.

Part of humility is understanding that the best use of authority is in service to others. I’ve had the privilege of serving the people of Texas my entire legal career.

John moved to Texas twenty years ago to attend Baylor Law School.  After graduation, he worked at the McLennan County District Attorney’s Office.  He moved to Pflugerville in 2011 to work at the Office of the State Prosecuting Attorney in Austin. 

John and his wife Carrie have been married for over ten years.  They have three children: Micah (6), Jacob (4), and Evie (2).  They attend Hillcrest Baptist Church, where John serves on the personnel committee and Carrie serves on the women’s ministry leadership committee. 

Carrie also volunteers at Radiance Women’s Center, Pflugerville’s pregnancy resource center, where John serves on the board.

John has filed 115 petitions for discretionary review in the Court of Criminal Appeals and has represented the State in over 90 cases granted review by that court. He has also represented the State in over 150 cases in the intermediate courts of appeals. John has presented oral argument in over 40 cases, split almost evenly between the Court of Criminal Appeals and intermediate courts of appeals.

John is the chair of the State Bar’s Pattern Jury Charges—Criminal Committee. He is a frequent speaker at the State Bar Advanced Criminal Law Course (2016-2023) and the Robert O. Dawson Conference on Criminal Appeals (2011, 2019, 2021), among other conferences.