Current, incoming Gregg County DA working together to address case backlog

LONGVIEW, Texas (KLTV) - The Gregg County District Attorney’s Office is working to address a case backlog and start training for the DA-elect early.

Gregg County Criminal District Attorney Tom Watson explains how he and John Moore, the District Attorney-elect, are working together before Moore is sworn in as DA in January.

“Which is kind of a first for us where we have the new DA come in and the old DA working hand-in-hand to make it a smooth transition,” Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt said.

Watson said he and Moore are working together to address a backlog in cases that stems from the pandemic and because the DA’s Office is short-staffed.

“There’s a lot of work to be done. We’re shorthanded right now because a few of the prosecutors that we had decided to move to new positions or new jobs,” Watson said. “By John and Stacy coming in, that helps us, number one, with just manpower issues.”

Moore came into the office on September 1.

“He’s learning the systems, the processes, and he’s starting to implement his own policies that he’s going to want to carry forward at the first of the year,” Watson said.

Watson said the two will work together until Moore takes over in January.

“Continue to provide Gregg County Citizens with the type of service that they want from the District Attorney’s office,” John Moore said. “We need to punish the people that need to be punished, help the people that need to be helped.”

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