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 State Level Judicial Candidates

includes the Supreme Court and

The Court of Criminal Appeals

Chart of Texas Judicial Department
https://www.txcourts.gov/media/1452920/court-structure-chart-september-2021.pdf

Brochure of the Court System

https://www.txcourts.gov/media/675444/The-Texas-Judicial-System_Print102714.pdf

I cannot stress enough how important the Judges are in the day and time in which we live. Especially Democratic Judges. Not only do they make empathetic compassionate rulings that follow the law they have developed on their own special programs to stop the school to prison pipeline and the revolving door on prisons. I will list the ones I know about under the Community Service button. They are in the trenches and know what would improve our judicial systems. Another program I have come across is separating the mentally ill to get treatment under doctor care into special hospitals for that purpose. There are many more...not to mention how the clean up from the last President is being done through the courts and they are able to right so many wrongs. Support them with donations and with getting elected, educate the public about them, and above all vote for them. The Judges will save us. Make sure there is a Democratic Judge in every possible position. As the voter you are the HR person for the state. Make sure to voter for a Judge who is well qualified. Who is experienced. Who has a fair and impartial record. And elect with a emphasis on diversity. Everyone should have a place at the table and be judged by their peers. An educated voter is always a good thing. â€‹

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Texas Supreme Court

It is the state highest appellate court along with the Court of Criminal Appeals. It is the final appellate jurisdiction in civil and juvenile cases in the state. It is in Austin, immediately northwest of the state Capitol. By statute the Court has administrative control over the State Bar of Texas. The Court is also the sole authority for licensing attorneys in Texas and appoints the members of the Board of Law Examiners, which administers the Texas bar examination. The Court promulgates the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure, the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, the Texas Rules of Evidence and other rules and standards.

​Judicial selection

There is one Chief Justice and eight Justices on the Texas Supreme Court. Supreme Court justices are elected to staggered six-year terms in statewide elections. Justices are elected through partisan elections. Vacancies between elections are filled by the governor, with advice and confirmation by the Senate. While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to remain on the court until their terms expire.

Qualifications

The qualifications to be an appellate judge are:

  • Citizen of the United States and of Texas

  • Between the ages of 35 and 74

  • Licensed to practice law in the state of Texas

  • A practicing lawyer, or lawyer and judge of court of record together, for at least 10 years

Salary

Associates: $184,800

Jurisdiction

The caseload of the Texas Supreme Court is determined by whether the court decides to grant a review of a judgment. The court has mandatory jurisdiction over writs of mandamus and habeas corpus. The Supreme Court also has jurisdiction to answer questions of state law certified from a federal appellate court; has original jurisdiction to issue writs and to conduct proceedings for the involuntary retirement or removal of judges; and reviews cases involving attorney discipline upon appeal from the Board of Disciplinary Appeals of the State Bar of Texas.

Current Membership:

https://www.txcourts.gov/supreme/about-the-court/

                                                                                                                                                                                                Sources: https://www.txcourts.gov/supreme/https://ballotpedia.org/Texas_Supreme_Court

​

Chief Justice Texas Supreme Court Place 1  Age 73 

Salary: $204,600

Term ends 2026

Appointed by Gov. Rick Perry

Male, Caucasian

Sources: https://www.texastribune.org/directory/nathan-hecht/;https://ballotpedia.org/Nathan_Hecht

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On the Ballot

    2024

Texas Supreme Court Place 2  Age 42

Salary: $168,000

Term ends 2024

Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott

Male, Caucasian

Sources:https://www.texastribune.org/directory/jimmy-blacklock/; https://ballotpedia.org/Jimmy_Blacklock

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Democratic Candidates

  Needed

Texas Supreme Court Place 3 Age 66

Salary: $201,600

Term Ends 2028

Appointed by Gov. Rick Perry

Female, Caucasian

Source: https://www.texastribune.org/directory/debra-lehrmann/;https://ballotpedia.org/Debra_Lehrmann

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On the Ballot

    2024

Texas Supreme Court Place 4 Age 64

Salary: $201,600

Term ends 2024

Only current Supreme Court Justice first elected by the voters of Texas

Male, Caucasian

Sources: https://www.texastribune.org/directory/john-devine/; https://ballotpedia.org/John_Devine_(Texas)

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Democratic Candidates

  Needed

Texas Supreme Court Place 5 Age 49?

Salary: $184,800

Term ends 2028

Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott

Female, Latina

Sources: https://www.texastribune.org/directory/rebecca-huddle/https://ballotpedia.org/Rebeca_Huddle

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On the Ballot

    2024

Texas Supreme Court Place 6 Age 57

Salary: $201,600

Term ends 2024

Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott

Female, Caucasian

Source: https://www.texastribune.org/directory/jane-bland/; https://ballotpedia.org/Jane_Bland

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Democratic Candidates

  Needed

Texas Supreme Court Place 7 Age 61

Salary:$201,600

Term Ends 2026

Appointed by Gov. Rick Perry

Male, Caucasian

Sources: https://www.texastribune.org/directory/jeffrey-boyd/; https://ballotpedia.org/Jeffrey_S._Boyd

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Texas Supreme Court Place 8 Age 49

Salary: $201,600

Term ends 2026 

Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott

Male, Caucasian

Sources: https://www.texastribune.org/directory/j-brett-busby/; https://ballotpedia.org/Brett_Busby

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Texas Supreme Court Place 9 Age 46

Salary: $201,600

Term ends 2028

Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott

Male, Caucasian

Sources: https://www.texastribune.org/directory/evan-young/; https://ballotpedia.org/Evan_Young

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Court of Criminal Appeals

This is one court with nine justices. It is the final appellate jurisdiction in criminal cases. The court may choose whether or not to review a case. The only cases that the court must hear are those that involve sentencing decisions in capital punishment cases and other cases involving liberty issues, such capital punishment cases, cases where bail has been denied and habeas cases where a person being detained attempts to prove some constitutional right has been violated as a result of their detention. The court is based in the state capital, Austin. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals hears both mandatory and discretionary cases. "All cases that result in the death penalty are automatically directed to the Court of Criminal Appeals from the trial court level. A significant portion of the Court’s workload also involves the mandatory review of applications for post-conviction habeas corpus relief in felony cases without a death penalty, over which the Court has sole authority. In addition, decisions made by the intermediate courts of appeals in criminal cases may be appealed to the Court of Criminal Appeals by petition for discretionary review, which may be filed by the State, the defendant, or both. However, the Court may also review a decision on its own motion."Article V of the Texas Constitution vests the judicial power of the state in the court, describes the court's jurisdiction. It also details the rules for judicial eligibility, elections, and filling vacancies on the court between elections.

Judicial Selection

The court is composed of a presiding judge and eight judges. Each judge serves a six-year term. They are elected in staggered partisan elections. In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a replacement who must be confirmed by the Texas Senate. The appointee serves until the next general election, in which he or she may compete to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term. While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to remain on the court until their terms expire.

Qualifications

To serve on any of the appellate courts, a judge must be:

  • a U.S. citizen

  • a resident of Texas

  • licensed to practice law in the state

  • between the ages of 35 and 75

  • a practicing lawyer and/or judge for at least 10 years

Salary 

Chief: $187,800, Associates: $184,800

Jurisdiction:​

Statewide

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Source: https://ballotpedia.org/Texas_Court_of_Criminal_Appeals

On the Ballot

    2024

Presiding Judge Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 1

Term ends 2024 

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Democratic Candidates

  Needed

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 2

Term ends 2028

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Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 3 

Term ends 2026

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Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 4 

Term ends 2026

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Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 5 

Term ends 2028

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Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 6 

Term ends 2026

Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott

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On the Ballot

    2024

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 7 

Term ends 2024

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Democratic Candidates

  Needed

On the Ballot

    2024

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 8 

Term ends 2024​

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Democratic Candidates

  Needed

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 9 

Term ends 2026

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