New U.S. attorney appointed for North Texas, Justice Department announces
North Texas has a new United States attorney, officials with the Department of Justice announced on Thursday.
The attorney, Ryan Raybould, was nominated by President Donald Trump in October and named to the post this week by Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to a news release.
Raybould succeeds Leigha Simonton, who was appointed in 2022 by then-President Joe Biden.
Simonton had previously served the district as an assistant U.S. attorney for 18 years, and resigned from the office in January, one day before Trump’s inauguration.
As the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Northern District of Texas, Raybould will oversee roughly 220 U.S. attorneys in Dallas-Fort Worth, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene and surrounding areas, according to the release.
Prior to serving in the role, Raybould was a litigation partner at Kirkland & Ellis in the firm’s government, regulatory, and internal investigations practice group, officials said.
He also served as a federal prosecutor in the Department of Justice for seven years, and as chief counsel to U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, according to the release.
“The opportunity to serve in this role is an honor and a privilege,” Raybould said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing the tremendous work of those in my office, partnered with our federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, in pursuing justice and restoring safety to our communities in the Northern District of Texas.”
Raybould received his juris doctor from Notre Dame Law School, officials said.
His nomination is pending confirmation in the U.S. Senate.
This story was originally published November 20, 2025 at 9:57 PM.
