Reflejo Court<\/a> is a trauma-informed treatment program designed to help first-time domestic violence offenders address the root causes of their behavior in lieu of jail time. <\/p>\nHowever, multiple former workers who partnered with the court said the environment shifted dramatically last year, undermining the program\u2019s mission and exposing defendants to volatile outbursts from the judge. <\/p>\n
KSAT Investigates<\/p>\n
Hard-hitting journalism from the KSAT Investigates team delivered straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n
\u2018It was ugly. It was ugly.\u2019<\/p>\n
Cynthia Garcia, a former group facilitator who provided therapy to Reflejo (Reflection) Court participants through the nonprofit American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (AITSCM), said she had known Speedlin Gonzalez for more than a decade and considered her a friend. <\/p>\n
That changed, Garcia said, after what she described as a sudden shift in the judge\u2019s demeanor last year.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe began lashing out at defendants in court,\u201d Garcia told KSAT Investigates. \u201cI couldn\u2019t believe some of the things that were being put on the record.\u201d<\/p>\n
Garcia described multiple incidents she said crossed professional and ethical lines.<\/p>\n
In one incident during the Reflejo docket, a female defendant who had a pregnancy scare was told by Speedlin Gonzalez to invest in batteries, according to Garcia.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd get basically a vibrator. Less trouble. And that is what blew my mind the first time,\u201d said Garcia, summarizing what she witnessed in court.<\/p>\n
In another incident, Garcia said an 18-year-old participant was berated by Speedlin Gonzalez in open court after staff discovered sexual content on his phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cCalling him a \u2018f—ing poser.\u2019 And this young man is homeless. He lives in a group setting,\u201d Garcia said. \u201cHe was triggered. He was shaking. It was ugly. It was ugly.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u2018If you feel I am doing this, I need you to consider getting therapy.\u2019<\/p>\n
In a July 2025 email thread started by Garcia that listed concerns about a defendant, the judge appeared to respond harshly.<\/p>\n
Speedlin Gonzalez told staff to \u201cstay in our respective lanes\u201d and after writing that she was not singling anyone out, ended the response by writing, \u201cIf you feel I am doing this, I need you to consider getting therapy,\u201d email records obtained by KSAT Investigates show.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt really did appear to be directly at me,\u201d said Garcia.<\/p>\n
Judge Speedlin Gonzalez’s July 2025 email response. (KSAT)<\/p>\n
Garcia said she was called into her manager\u2019s office at AITSCM the following day and was informed that she was being removed from Reflejo Court.<\/p>\n
Her work hours now slashed, Garcia told KSAT she eventually resigned from the nonprofit.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, it was hurtful because I put my heart into my work. And just the betrayal from somebody I considered a friend,\u201d said Garcia, who got emotional while describing her exit from the specialty court. \u201cI was doing my work to the best of my ability and reaching the women, to really change and encourage them to use their voice, build up their confidence, learn to be independent and just really build up their strength.\u201d<\/p>\n
AITSCM\u2019s executive director did not respond to multiple calls from KSAT seeking comment about Garcia\u2019s tenure with the nonprofit.<\/p>\n
\u2018It just was not appropriate. Especially it being a trauma-informed type of setting.\u2019<\/p>\n
Crystal Ochoa was a complex care manager for the Center for Health Care Services (CHCS) who worked in four Bexar County specialty courts, including Reflejo.<\/p>\n
Ochoa told KSAT she also noticed a shift in Speedlin Gonzalez\u2019s demeanor last year. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe behavior she gave was aggressive, when it did not need to be. It became very like \u2018No, this is what I\u2019m saying. I\u2019m the judge. I\u2019m going to do this, whether you all like it or not,\u2019\u201d Ochoa said. \u201cIt just was not appropriate, especially it being a trauma-informed type of setting.\u201d <\/p>\n
In September 2025, Ochoa said she was told she was being removed from Reflejo Court.<\/p>\n
Less than a month later, CHCS went a step further \u2014 according to Ochoa \u2014 and terminated her for what she described as not completing case notes in the appropriate amount of time.<\/p>\n
Ochoa told KSAT she does not believe her handling of paperwork was the actual reason for her dismissal.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it was a fear of some sort of retaliation. I remember specifically one of my supervisors saying, \u2018I don\u2019t want to get into another phone call with this judge and it being like her yelling at me,\u2019\u201d Ochoa said. \u201cHow could you allow someone who is not even part of your agency remove someone when there is no cause?\u201d<\/p>\n
A spokesperson for CHCS told KSAT the agency could not comment on personnel matters.<\/p>\n
Crystal Ochoa (left) and Cynthia Garcia (right) both told KSAT Investigates they noticed a shift in Judge Speedlin Gonzalez’s behavior last year. (KSAT)<\/p>\n
A third employee of Reflejo Court, who resigned from her county position in July 2025, expressed similar concerns about Speedlin Gonzalez\u2019s behavior. <\/p>\n
That employee said an on-camera interview with KSAT would limit her chances of landing another job.\t<\/p>\n
Speedlin Gonzalez issues no contact order<\/p>\n
In late September 2025, Speedlin Gonzalez issued a no-contact order via email, prohibiting staff of Reflejo Court and County Court at Law No. 13 from communicating with Garcia, Ochoa and two county employees who had resigned days apart, records obtained by KSAT Investigates show.<\/p>\n
\u201cA breach of this directive will be grounds for removal from the team,\u201d the email order states.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy can\u2019t I talk to people I\u2019ve built relationships with? Like, how are you going to keep me from having friendships?\u201d Garcia said. \u201cI mean, you can\u2019t control people like that.\u201d <\/p>\n
The no-contact order prohibited staff from communicating with a group of people who had worked in the court. (KSAT)<\/p>\n
Speedlin Gonzalez declined KSAT\u2019s request for an interview for this story.<\/p>\n
Asked about the specific incidents in court described by Garcia, Speedlin Gonzalez sent KSAT the following email:<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this time, I will not be disclosing information regarding any individual or non profit vendor involved. Out of respect for process, privacy, and the integrity of our partnerships, it is important that we allow the appropriate systems to function without speculation or distraction. The Reflejo Court remains focused on its core mission: accountability, rehabilitation, and meaningful outcomes that reduce recidivism and strengthen our community. This court was created to reflect a more effective and compassionate approach\u2014one that prioritizes treatment, stability, and long-term success over short-term punishment. Our goal is to ensure that every decision made supports public safety, fiscal responsibility, and the dignity of those we serve. That work continues, and I remain committed to transparency, ethical leadership, and results that benefit the broader community.”<\/p>\n
Judge Rosie Speedlin Gonzalez, Reflejo Court and County Court at Law No. 13<\/p>\n
In a separate email response to KSAT, Speedlin Gonzalez wrote, \u201cTo ensure you have all relevant information, you may want to review HIPPA (sic) and how that applies to Treatment Courts (REFLEJO Court is a Treatment Court) as defined by ALL RISE (and their protocols and \u2018Best Practices\u2019).\u201d<\/p>\n
All Rise\u2019s best practices for adult treatment courts contains a section specifically about roles and responsibilities of the judge.<\/p>\n
The section states that a special emphasis is put on pre-court staff meetings, as they \u201cenable team members to discuss information that may shame or embarrass participants if discussed in open court.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnger or exasperation, especially when expressed by an authority figure like a judge or clinician, can arouse trauma-related symptoms including panic or dissociation,\u201d the section also states.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s her court. She can do as she pleases, but I don\u2019t think she took into account the situations that these individuals were going through,\u201d Ochoa said. \u201cAnd I think that was heartbreaking for a lot of them.\u201d <\/p>\n
Judge Speedlin Gonzalez ordered defense attorney to be handcuffed<\/p>\n
In a separate incident in late 2024, Speedlin Gonzalez ordered a defense attorney in her courtroom to be placed in handcuffs and seated in the jury box.<\/p>\n
The dispute between the judge and attorney Elizabeth Russell escalated during a motion to revoke probation hearing.<\/p>\n
After the defendant pleaded \u201ctrue\u201d to one of the allegations, Russell cut in and asked for a moment to confer with her client, a transcript of the proceeding states.<\/p>\n
The defendant functions below average intellectually, a source familiar with the incident told KSAT.<\/p>\n
Speedlin Gonzalez informed Russell that attorneys are not allowed to coach their clients.<\/p>\n
After the judge moved forward with the \u201ctrue\u201d plea, Russell objected.<\/p>\n
\u201cStop. It\u2019s on the record. Your argumentative ways are not going to work today,\u201d the transcript of Speedlin Gonzalez\u2019s comments states. \u201cStop. Stop, or I\u2019ll hold you in contempt, Ms. Russell. I will hold you in contempt.\u201d <\/p>\n
The judge then said Russell was \u201cnot allowed to be argumentative and argue just for the sake of argument.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTake her into custody and put her in the box. We are not having this hearing this way,\u201d the transcript states.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou will not run around these courtrooms, especially 13, and think that you can just conduct yourself in the way you\u2019ve been conducting yourself for at least the last six years, Ms. Russell,\u201d Speedlin Gonzalez then told the attorney. <\/p>\n
Russell responded that she only been a licensed attorney for five years.<\/p>\n
After the incident, Russell filed a criminal complaint against Speedlin Gonzalez. In the complaint, she accused the judge of official oppression and unlawful restraint.<\/p>\n
Attorney Elizabeth Russell enters presiding court late last year. (KSAT)<\/p>\n
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales recused his office from the case in September, court records show.<\/p>\n
Brian Cromeens, district attorney for the 24th Judicial District, which includes DeWitt and Goliad counties, was assigned as special prosecutor on Oct. 1, 2025, records show.<\/p>\n
Reached via email last month, Cromeens told KSAT he does not comment on active cases.<\/p>\n
Reached by KSAT outside of court late last year, Russell declined to discuss her complaint since it is still being reviewed by the special prosecutor.<\/p>\n
Speedlin Gonzalez, who has not been criminally charged, told KSAT via email the record of the Russell incident \u201cspeaks for itself.\u201d<\/p>\n
KSAT could find no record that she has been disciplined by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct for any of these incidents.<\/p>\n
Read more reporting on the KSAT Investigates page<\/a>.<\/p>\nCopyright 2026 by KSAT – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SAN ANTONIO \u2013 Former staff members who worked in Bexar County\u2019s Reflejo Court have come forward, accusing County…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":124457,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[698,815,4976,53867,53866,82,84,83],"class_list":["post-124456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-antonio","tag-bexar-county","tag-courts","tag-ksat-investigates","tag-reflejo-court","tag-rosie-speedlin-gonzalez","tag-san-antonio","tag-san-antonio-headlines","tag-san-antonio-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124456","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=124456"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/124456\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/124457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=124456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=124456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=124456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}