Well-known Houston lawyer and Harris County Department of Education Trustee Eric Dick faces a misdemeanor assault charge, adding to his legal and ethical troubles.
The Houston Police Department arrested Dick on March 7 for hitting a female family member with his hand, according to a criminal complaint. Publicly available court records do not provide details about evidence obtained by police, statements made by witnesses and any injuries sustained by the alleged victim.
The Houston Landing typically does not name alleged victims of domestic violence or their relationship to the person arrested.
“I love (the alleged victim) with all of my heart and am sorry for any embarrassment that I caused her,” Dick said in an email statement to the Landing. He did not respond to questions seeking more details about his arrest and the impact it would have on his HCDE service.
A Harris County judge released Dick with no requirement that he post bail.
Dick ranks among the better-known lawyers in Houston, thanks in large part to billboards and other advertising that use provocative plays on his last name. His solo firm represents Houston consumers dealing with home and property insurance claims.
The criminal case is the second filed against Dick in the past year. Prosecutors in Hawaii charged him in May 2024 with four misdemeanor counts of attempting to unlawfully practice the law. Dick has pleaded not guilty.
Hawaii News Now reported in October 2023 that Dick’s law firm sent flyers advertising his services to residents affected by the devastating Maui wildfires, a potential violation of strict Hawaii rules and laws related to lawyers who aren’t licensed in the state soliciting potential clients.
Dick has served on the HCDE Board of Trustees since 2017 and previously held the role of president. He ran unopposed in the 2024 Republican primary and general election to remain on the board.
HCDE provides training support to school districts, offers adult education classes and runs a Head Start Program, among several other roles. About one-quarter of its roughly $100 million budget comes from taxes paid by Harris County property owners.
HCDE Board President Amy Flores Hinojosa did not immediately respond to a phone call or email request for comment Tuesday morning.
Dick’s arrest comes three months after HCDE trustees unanimously voted to drop a motion to censure him for failing to pay $40,000 in Texas Ethics Commission fines related to his unsuccessful campaigns for Houston City Council and Harris County treasurer. The ethics commission found Dick helped create misleading mailers that lacked required disclosures and ignored a complaint letter. Dick has denied the charges.
Moments before the HCDE vote, Dick made a public statement and agreed to donate $40,000 to the Education Foundation of Harris County for a program dedicated to helping prepare future lawyers.
“I acknowledge that my actions may have led to negative publicity of HCDE, reputational harm, embarrassment for the department and its board of trustees, and expenditure of HCDE resources,” Dick said in his statement.
Judges in Harris and Galveston counties also fined Dick about $250,000 over the past two years for mishandling lawsuits in his legal practice, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Angelica Perez is a general assignment reporter for the Landing’s education team. Find her @byangelicaperez on Instagram and X, or reach her directly at angelica@houstonlanding.org.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print.
