Harris Co. Judge Lina Hidalgo pledges funding for courts to ease crimewave County leaders address backlog of criminal cases Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo says a key to combating the violent crime in the community is clearing the backlog of criminal cases that are stuck in the court system. FOX 26's Greg Groogan has more on how leaders plan to implement changes. HOUSTON - In a violence weary city, enduring a 40 percent, year-over-year increase in homicides the "crime fighting" announcement by Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo was meant to assure the public. "It is an emergency initiative to break a vicious circle of crime and incarceration and make a meaningful dent in our crime rate," said Hidalgo.