The criminal case against former Brown County Judge Shane Britton has ended with a plea bargain that includes guilty pleas to two misdemeanor charges, deferred adjudication and the dismissal of three additional counts, according to court records cited by Brownwood News.
Britton, 60, entered the pleas Tuesday in 35th Judicial District Court. The case was reported by Brownwood News on October 14, 2026, in a story courtesy of Steve Nash, a special contributor.
What the plea agreement includes
One guilty plea was to assault, a Class C misdemeanor. The charge was reduced from the original allegation of assault against a public servant, a third-degree felony. Britton received 45 days of deferred adjudication and a $500 fine.
Britton also pleaded guilty to contributing expenditure without a campaign treasurer, a Class A misdemeanor. That charge originally was listed as abuse of official capacity. The agreement placed him on one year of deferred adjudication and imposed another $500 fine.
Deferred adjudication allows a case to proceed under court-ordered conditions without an immediate final conviction, although the specific conditions beyond the periods and fines listed in the report were not provided in the supplied material.
Three charges dismissed
The plea bargain dismissed three other charges: hindering apprehension or prosecution, a Class A misdemeanor; tampering with a government document, a third-degree felony; and tampering with a witness in a family violence case, also a third-degree felony.
In a text message cited by Brownwood News, Britton said he was relieved that the case was over and thanked people who had supported him and his family during the previous 11 months.
“I am very relieved to get this behind me,” Britton said via text message. “Words cannot express my appreciation for all of the love and encouragement that my family and I have received in the last 11 months. We have been overwhelmed by the hundreds of calls, texts and messages of support we have received from friends and strangers alike.”
Background in Brown County
Britton was elected Brown County Judge in 2022. The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct suspended him from office in November 2025, one day after he was served with five indictments and arrested.
Despite the criminal case and suspension, Britton filed to seek re-election in the March 2026 Brown County Republican Party primary. He remained on the ballot and finished third in the three-person race.
The supplied report does not identify additional court requirements tied to the deferred-adjudication periods or describe any further proceedings.