Lawyers File Brief in Support of Lehmberg

A group of more than 100 lawyers filed an amicus brief late Thursday in support of embattled Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg. Lehmberg is currently serving a 45 day jail sentence after pleading guilty to drunken driving.

The brief is in response to attorney Kerry O'Brien's ouster petition and other high-profile demands for Lehmberg's resignation. The brief calls for Lehmberg to remain in office until the end of her current term, citing her years of service as a Travis County prosecutor and her advocacy work. At an afternoon news conference, attorney Betty Blackwell said that Lehmberg will not be seeking another term and will be undergoing treatment once her jail stint is completed.

The group, calling themselves "Friends of Rosemary Lehmberg," includes a bipartisan coalition of past State Bar of Texas presidents, civil attorneys, and criminal defense attorneys. An excerpt from the brief is below.

Rosemary Lehmberg has had an extraordinary 36-year career as a Travis County prosecutor, an Assistant District Attorney, and since 2009, as District Attorney. Unquestionably she has developed and maintained one of the best district attorney’s offices in the United States. She served as chief prosecutor in Judge Tom Blackwell’s 167th District Court. She also served as chief of other major divisions in the District Attorney’s office—including the Career Criminal Division, the Major Crimes Division, and the Public Integrity Division. She founded the Travis County Children’s Advocacy Center, and for her work on behalf of child abuse victims, she was named Best Lawyer for Children’s Issues. Under her leadership the Public Integrity Unit has successfully prosecuted both Democrats and Republicans who have violated the public trust.