Biography

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Denette Vaughn is a Senior Attorney with Disability Rights Texas, an organization federally mandated to advocate for and protect the rights of people with disabilities. Denette received a BA in Speech Communications and a BS in Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1978. She received her JD from Texas Tech University School of Law in 1981. She previously served as the Narcotics Prosecutor, Civil Division Chief and Juvenile Division Chief for the Lubbock County District Attorney's office. Subsequent to her days as a prosecutor, Denette was in private practice for 12 years working mainly in the areas of Criminal, Family, Employment and Civil Service law. Much of her practice involved representing police officers and firefighters in employment disputes. Denette has also served as an adjunct professor for the Texas Tech School of Law, Wayland Baptist University, Lubbock Christian University and South Plains College. She teaches courses in disability law, criminal law, business law, sociology and communications. Additionally she has worked as an instructor with the South Plains Association of Governments Police Academy. Denette has worked in the area of disability law since 1998 when she became employed at Advocacy Inc. (now DRTX). Currently she handles cases primarily in the areas of housing, employment, accessibility and transportation. She has handled several cases involving individuals with disabilities who have been denied access to public accommodations due to the presence of a service animal.