A Dallas judge says she will comply with a Texas Supreme Court order directing her to end a courtroom mask mandate, but plans to temporarily move proceedings online and suspend jury trials while searching for alternative accommodations.
In a statement issued Monday, Dallas County Court at Law No. 1 Judge D’Metria Benson said she would follow the Supreme Court’s directive to withdraw the policy.
“I will of course follow the Texas Supreme Court’s Order to lift the mask requirement in the courtroom,” Benson wrote.
Benson also sought to clarify that the policy was not intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
According to Benson, she was diagnosed with an extremely rare autoimmune disease in 2022 and has been advised by physicians to take stringent precautions because infections could be life-threatening.
“The mask request in the courtroom is to protect my health,” Benson stated.
The announcement comes days after the Texas Supreme Court unanimously ordered Benson to immediately withdraw the requirement, concluding that courtroom mask mandates are an “unfair and unduly burdensome” imposition on attorneys, jurors, witnesses, court staff, and members of the public.
Benson was defeated in the Democrat primary in March and will leave office in January.
In a May 22 letter submitted to the court before the order was issued, Benson argued that her policy was based on medical necessity rather than concerns about COVID-19. She detailed a lengthy hospitalization in 2025 that included time in intensive care and a medically induced coma following a severe infection.
Benson further argued that witnesses, attorneys addressing the court, and jurors during deliberations generally were permitted to remain unmasked and that the requirement imposed only a minimal burden on courtroom visitors.
The Supreme Court acknowledged Benson’s health challenges but nevertheless concluded that requiring masks in a courtroom interferes with essential judicial functions and public access to court proceedings.
As she works to identify alternative measures, Benson said all proceedings will be conducted virtually and jury trials will be temporarily suspended.
