A North Texas judge says he'll appoint a special prosecutor in the contempt case against the Dallas County district attorney.

In a Thursday email, state District Judge Bob Brotherton of Wichita Falls said he expects to appoint an attorney next week as special prosecutor in the case involving District Attorney Craig Watkins. A Dallas judge held Watkins in contempt last week after Watkins refused to answer questions about his office's prosecution of an oil fortune heir.

The heir's attorneys say Watkins was doing a favor for a political donor.

Brotherton says he'll schedule a hearing on the case once a prosecutor is in place.