Dallas County has more than 2.5 million people in it.

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As Dallas County judge, Clay Lewis Jenkins is the top elected official in Dallas County, but he is nowhere near the highest-paid county official. In fact, Jenkins’ salary of more than 209,000 doesn’t even put him in the county’s top 20 list of highest-paid officials in 2025.

That puts the other members of the county commissioners court, such as John Wiley Price, Elba Garcia, Andy Sommerman and Theresa Daniel, even further down the list, of course. These are the names commonly known by those who regularly follow the news in Dallas, but that doesn’t translate into the highest spots on the pay list in the county, however, even after they voted to give themselves a raise just a couple of years ago. Dallas County recently finalized a $828.2 million budget for 2026.

The commissioner’s court continues to have numerous significant issues to address, regardless of where the members rank in pay. Homelessness and housing solutions remain a top priority, as do property tax rates and concerns, while the jail population and potential overcrowding have become an urgent hot button more this year than ever in years past. However, the health of the county and the deaths of many residents are where many of the highest salaries are allocated. 

Thirteen of the top 20 Dallas County official salaries go to people in the medical examiner’s office or health and human services. Director and Chief Medical Examiner for the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences, Jessica Dwyer, is the top-paid official by a long shot. More than $140,000 separates her and second place, Chief Deputy Medical Examiner Stephen Lenfest. 

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The salary for District Attorney John Creuzot is paid for by both the county and the state, and the portion paid by the county does not qualify for this list. Justine Tran, the county’s chief information officer, and H. Lynn Hadnot, the relatively new director of juvenile services, are the top-paid officials not working in the medical examiner’s office or the health and human services department. 

See below for the top 20 highest-paid Dallas County employees, according to records obtained from the county:

20. Jonathon Bazan, Assistant County Administrator $265.224.96

19. Ronica Watkins, Budget Officer $265,224.96

18. Timothy Hicks, County Auditor $268,407.66

17. Alberta Blair, Director of Public Works and Engineering $270,047.01

16. Paul Hamilton, District Attorney First Assistant $282,970.15

15. Brittany Holden, Medical Examiner $285,719.07

14. Yoo Min Ahn, Medical Examiner $285,719.07

13. Fabiola Righi, Medical Examiner $302,946.32

12. Darryl Martin, Commissioners Court Admin $317,505.07

11. H. Lynn Hadnot, Director of Juvenile Services $319,404.12

10. Grant Herndon, Medical Examiner $319,437.90

9. Lisa Barton, Medical Examiner $319,437.90

8. Melinda Flores, Medical Examiner $319,437.90

7. Stephen Hastings, Medical Examiner $323,671.32

6. Philip Huang, Director of Health and Human Services $327,115.38

5. Travis Danielsen, Medical Examiner $333,710.61

4. Jill Urban, Medical Examiner $333,961.89

3. Justine Tran, Chief Information Officer $339,999.96

2. Stephen Lenfest, Chief Deputy Medical Examiner $402,729.96

1. Jessica Dwyer, Director and Chief Medical Examiner $546,350.81