Eckhardt earned a B.F.A. from New York University, going on to receive her J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. She was admitted to the bar in 1998. In 2006, Eckhardt was elected county commissioner of Travis County "Travis County, Texas (Judicial)") (Precinct 2). She held that seat until the spring of 2014, when she began her campaign for county judge. Eckhardt served as the Travis County Commissioners court judge from 2014 to 2020. She resigned from the court on May 12, 2020, in order to run in the special election for Texas State Senate District 14. Prior to her election, Eckhardt served for eight years as a prosecutor with the Travis County District Attorney's Office.