Administration Brett Ligon District Attorney A longtime Montgomery County resident and proud graduate of Texas A&M University, District Attorney Brett Ligon has spent his entire professional career in the area of law enforcement and criminal justice.  He began his career as an entry level college intern with the Brazos County District Attorney’s Office, and later as a jailer in the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department.  After receiving his degree from the South Texas College of Law, he became an Assistant District Attorney with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.  While at the District Attorney’s office he was a misdemeanor and felony prosecutor and Chief of the Justice of the Peace Division.  He left the District Attorney’s office to become staff counsel for the Houston Police Officers’ Union.  In 2008 and in 2012, he was elected as the District Attorney of Montgomery County. Since being elected District Attorney, Brett has committed to helping Montgomery County lose the title of the Deadliest Roadways in Texas by focusing on Driving While Intoxicated offenses.  His office has implemented No Refusal Weekends, in which a person suspected of driving while intoxicated has a sample of his blood taken if they refuse to voluntarily give a sample of their breath.  The No Refusal Program implemented by the District Attorney has received national recognition for its creativity and efficiency increases. He has implemented D.A.R.T., the District Attorney Response Team, which dispatches a team of prosecutors and D.A. investigators to the scene of homicides, officer involved shootings, and traffic fatalities involving alcohol, drugs, or reckless conduct.   Below:  District Attorney, Brett Ligon, reviews roadway evidence in a fatal crash on one of the county's roads.   Below:  District Attorney, Brett Ligon, address the media on developments in a criminal case.         Bios Phil Grant First Assistant Phil Grant received his undergraduate degree in Economics from the Virginia Military Institute.  He received his law degree from the University of Texas at Austin.  During his eight years as a prosecutor in Harris County, Texas he specialized in child sexual abuse and public integrity cases.  He moved to Williamson County where he served as a chief felony prosecutor in the 26th and 368th District Courts while handling civil litigation matters including asset forfeitures for the local District Attorney’s office.  He was named Child Abuse Prosecutor of the Year in 2007 by the Williamson County Children’s Advocacy Center and Child Protective Team.  He is currently a Board Member of Children’s Safe Harbor (the Montgomery County Child Advocacy Center), a member of the county Child Fatality Review Team, and was appointed to the Guardianship Certification Board for the State of Texas by the Texas Supreme Court. He is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. As First Assistant, Phil Grant is responsible for the day to day management of the office including the preparation and presentation of the annual budget.  He directly supervises the Public Integrity attorneys and support staff.  He is a member of the Major Crimes and Police Integrity Response Team. Melisa Appleton Administrator Melisa Appleton is the Administrator for the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.  Mrs. Appleton has 13 years experience as an Administrative Assistant/Extradition Coordinator in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, as well as 10 years experience as a Court Coordinator for the 337th Criminal District Court of Harris County, Texas.  Mrs. Appleton has a paralegal certificate from Southwestern Paralegal Institute. Mrs. Appleton’s duties include serving as the chief administrator for the office, human resource management, and supervising the day to day operations of the entire office.  She assists the First Assistant in the preparation of the annual budget.