A Texas lawyer confronted a county judge in a rowdy bar after accusing the other woman of spreading rumors about her ex-boyfriend.
San Antonio police were called to the Mariachi Bar inside Mi Tierra Café Wednesday night after attorney Leigh Cutter and Bexar County Court 7 Judge Melanie Lira had a heated verbal exchange.
According to police records seen by DailyMail.com, Cutter accused Lira of assaulting her and “spreading rumors about her ex-boyfriend” during an alcohol-fueled meeting of legal professionals.
In a video capturing part of the confrontation, Lira tells Cutter: “I just don’t understand where this is coming from.
“I don’t even know who his court reporter is,” Cutter says before Lira blocks the camera with her hand and the recording abruptly cuts off.
Attorney Leigh Cutter and Bexar County Court 7 Judge Melanie Lira (left) had a heated exchange Wednesday night. Cutter accused Lira of assaulting her and spreading rumors about her ex-boyfriend
Lira later told San Antonio police that Cutter had been “harassing” her on social media for some time.
Cutter claimed Lira was “physically pushing her and verbally threatening her” during the confrontation at a local bar.
Speaking to KSAT, Cutter claimed Lira ‘physically examined’ her before saying she knew what cases Cutter had in his court.
The lawyer told police that Lira “was physically pushing her and verbally threatening her.” She characterized her exchange as a “relentless confrontation.”
However, a police officer noted that there was no clear evidence of assault in the images. A report alleges that both women were intoxicated.
Meanwhile, Lira told police that she and Cutter had a troubled past.
“I spoke with (Lira) who stated that (Cutter) has been harassing her on different social media platforms,” an officer wrote in the incident report.
The report names platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, where both women are active.
Lira told police that Cutter had had problems with her in the past and “made negative comments” about her.
‘(Lira) wanted to know what (Cutter’s) problem was with her in an attempt to make amends. (Lira) approached (Cutter) and asked what her problem was with her,’ the report reads.
Despite Cutter’s claims, a police report notes there were no clear signs of assault in the video of the altercation and notes that both women were drunk.
Lira told police she approached Cutter because she wanted to know “what (Cutter’s) problem was with her,” but Cutter denied making any negative comments.
Cutter “denied any prior negative comments” before placing his hands on Lira’s shoulders in a “condescending manner,” Lira told police.
When Lira “realized she wasn’t going to be able to resolve any differences” with Cutter, she “walked away to talk to other people at the event,” the report states.
When Lira was speaking to others, she claimed that Cutter’s assistant began filming her “for an unknown reason.”
When Lira returned home that night, friends contacted her and told her that Cutter had accused her of assault in a social media post.
“(Cutter) wrote in the post that she was confronted by (Lira) stating that “she sought me out and assaulted me for no reason,” the report reads, noting that Lira felt “alarmed, upset and embarrassed.”
Lira later filed a harassment complaint with the San Antonio Police Department.
Meanwhile, Cutter is in the process of filing a formal complaint against Lira with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.
The Bexar County Court judge took office last January. She was born and raised in San Antonio and is the first born citizen in her family, according to an online biography.
The county judge stated that Cutter then put his hands on her shoulders in a “condescending” manner. After Lira left, one of Cutter’s assistants began filming her.
According to the police report, the lawyer made a publication on social networks accusing Lira of attacking her
He is in the process of filing a formal complaint against the judge with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Lira filed a harassment report with the San Antonio Police Department Wednesday night after returning home from the bar.
The Bexar County Court judge took office last January. She was born and raised in San Antonio and is the first born citizen in her family, according to an online biography.
While completing a graduate theology program at the University of Denver, Lira began working with nonprofit organizations helping undocumented immigrants, which sparked her passion for legal work.
He graduated from law school in 2015 and earned a second master’s degree in international relations during his studies.
Cutter is a partner at Cutter and Associates, a firm based in San Antonio.
He studied telecommunications media and German at Texas A&M University before pursuing a career in law, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Cutter finished law school in 2014 and worked at several local firms before founding his own in 2019. He works in the areas of criminal and family law.