Hon. Nelda Cacciotti, Fort Worth

Nelda Cacciotti is an Assistant Criminal District Attorney for the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office and is the Chief of the Mental Health Unit. She handles mental health related matters involving incompetency, insanity, civil commitment and jail diversion. Prior to taking this position in January 2023, she served 8 years as Judicial Staff Counsel/Mental Health Magistrate for the Tarrant County Criminal Courts. As the Mental Health Magistrate, she presided over incompetency and insanity proceedings, outpatient and jail-based competency dockets as well as other mental health related matters. Ms. Cacciotti began her criminal law practice as a trial prosecutor for the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office. She is a graduate of Texas Wesleyan University School of Law (now Texas A&M University School of Law) and of St. Edward’s University. She has been appointed as a Commissioner of the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health (JCMH) and prior to her appointment, she served on the JCMH Collaborative Council. She also serves on the Bench Book Committee and Criminal/Legislative Subgroup for JCMH. Additionally, she has served on several workgroups related to justice-involved mentally ill and intellectually disabled individuals and presented on legal topics of incompetency and insanity. She is a recipient of the Judge Joe Spurlock II Alumna of the Year Award from Texas A&M University School of Law for her work and commitment to mental health issues affecting the criminal justice system.