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State Level Judicial Candidates

Texas Supreme Court
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 on the social bar of each Candidate, in their bios and you can always find more on their campaign websites and Official Government pages. 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 an 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. But make a strong mental note that one major thing that has to be cleaned up in Texas is the strangle hold the Republican Party has on our Judiciary. I have noted where I could find the information how many judges were appointed rather than elected under Perry and Abbott. Almost all on our top level judges are. I am going to put together a list of ones I know are appointed but it is very hard to get that information. I will include it on this page after I get the site set up for the Fall Elections.

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

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Justice Cory L. Carlyle for Chief Justice Texas Supreme Court Place 1

Education B.A. in government and history from the University of Texas at Austin in 2001 and a J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center in 2005.

Profession Justice-- was a judge for Place 11 of the Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals. He assumed office on January 1, 2019. He left office on December 31, 2024 Carlyle’s career experience includes working as an assistant district attorney in the appellate section of the Dallas County District Attorney's Office, assistant attorney general with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, and as a criminal defense attorney with his law firm, the Law Office of Cory L. Carlyle.

His judicial philosophy is as follows "stare decisis is the fabric of the appellate judiciary. The courts have no place taking sides on issues, ideas, or movements. Judges must remain studiously neutral. And when on the bench, they take the facts and apply the law as written to preserve the rule of law."

Board Certified: Civil Appellate Law

Sources: https://ballotpedia.org/Cory_Carlyle

Maggie Ellis for Chief Justice Texas Supreme Court Place 1

Education Associate of Arts degree in Spanish from Austin Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Applied Learning and Development from the University of Texas at Austin (Hook 'em!), and a Juris Doctor from Baylor Law School. She spent sixteen years earning her first degree. After that, she spent time as a teacher at public school, became a foster mom, and helped families access justice long before she ever earned a law license.

Profession is a judge for Place 2 of the Texas Third District Court of Appeals. She assumed office on January 1, 2025. Her current term ends on December 31, 2030. Elect Justice Maggie Ellis to be first Female Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. Over more than fifteen years, Maggie has served as an administrative law judge, a prosecutor, and a trial attorney representing families, children, business owners, and individuals facing civil, family, juvenile, and criminal court matters.Her legal work isn’t abstract. It’s real. She knows that behind every case file is a life, a family, someone trying to hold on. Maggie brings fairness, seriousness, and humanity to every courtroom she enters.

Board Certified in Juvenile Law and a Certified Specialist in Child Welfare Law through the National Association of Counsel for Children. Maggie has volunteered with Meals on Wheels, Mobile Loaves & Fishes, Helping Hand Home, and she worked in public education through Leander ISD. She’s also mentored youth, taught English and Spanish, supported families, and volunteered her legal skills through pro-bono clinics and child-welfare advocacy. Maggie has been recognized and awarded for her work providing pro bono and volunteer legal services, including receiving the Hays County Bar Association's Pro Bono Hero award. She has provided legal assistance and volunteered through Volunteer Legal Services, Hays County Pro Bono Clinic, Raices, Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, Travis County Child Welfare Board, the Supreme Court Children's Commission Child Welfare and Juvenile Law work groups, and she currently serves as Immediate Past Chair of the State Bar Juvenile Law Section Board.

Sources: https://www.maggieforjustice.com/about; https://www.txcourts.gov/3rdcoa/about-the-court/justices/justice-maggie-ellis/

Justice Chari Kelly Texas Supreme Court Place 2

Education B.A. in political science and criminology from the University of Florida in 1999 and a J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in 2002.

Profession is a judge for Place 3 of the Texas Third District Court of Appeals. She assumed office on January 1, 2019. Her current term ends on December 31, 2030. Kelly served in the United States Army from 2003 to 2007. She reached the rank of captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps at Fort Hood. Career experience includes working as an assistant district attorney for both Comal and Travis Counties, an adjunct professor with the University of Texas School of Law, and a research attorney and law clerk at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. In 2018, Kelly was named the prosecutor of the year in Travis County by Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Justice Kelly has been a committed defender of the Constitution—ensuring fair trials and upholding justice. She has ruled on a diverse range of cases, including those related to COVID-19, environmental concerns, and criminal justice reform, among others. Justice Kelly has earned a reputation for her impartial and just rulings and for fearlessly applying the rule of law. She serves as a driving force for positive change and has paved the way for more Democratic women to rise to positions of leadership, both in the judiciary and in the communities served by the 3rd Court. Chari is a former president of the Austin Bar Association and of the Austin Young Lawyers Association. She was named the 2023 Mentor of the Year at both the local and state level for her mentorship of young lawyers trying to find their way in the legal profession. And she was named a 2022 Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association Trailblazer for the work she has done throughout her career to advance opportunities for women in the legal profession. She created and supported fundraisers for unhoused and low-income women in need of legal, social, and medical services. Chari is a longtime member of the Robert W. Calvert American Inn of Court, which provides training and mentoring to attorneys of all ages. She has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law for nearly 20 years.

Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Judicial Administration and Criminal Law.

Sources: https://charikelly.com/meet-chari/

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

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

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)

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

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

Gordon Goodman for Texas Supreme Court Place 7

Education JD University of Pennsylvania

Profession Goodman was a judge for Place 2 of the Texas First District Court of Appeals. He assumed office in 2019. He left office on December 31, 2024.Goodman’s career experience includes working as director of governance with NRG Energy, president of Dupont Power Marketing, and senior vice president with Conoco Global Power. He has served as a member of Holland Lodge #1 in Houston, a Masonic fraternal organization. Practice areas: Business, Environmental, Ethics-Legal Malpractice, Oil, Gas and Energy Resources, Finance

Sources:https://ballotpedia.org/Gordon_Goodman;https://www.texasbar.com/am/template.cfm?section=Find_a_Lawyer&Template=/Customsource/MemberDirectory/MemberDirectoryDetail.cfm&contactid=169480

Judge Kristen Hawkins for Texas Supreme Court Place 7

Education bachelor's degree in government and Spanish from the University of Texas-Austin, and her J.D. from the South Texas College of Law Houston. Hawkins began practicing as an attorney in 2000.

Profession is a judge of the Texas 11th District Court. Her current term ends on December 31, 2028. Before my election to the bench, I gained extensive experience in civil litigation, including cases related to medical malpractice, premises liability, wrongful death, mass tort, construction, property tax, and Social Security disability. In 2021, she was honored as the Tex-ABOTA Jurist of the Year, and has been appointed to serve as a judge for two complex MDL lawsuits. Chaired committees for the Harris County Board of District Judges, including the Jury Committee and COVID Response Task Force. I am also active in the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association, and the Association of Women Attorneys. Additionally, I am a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation, the Houston Bar Foundation, and the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation.

Board Certified in Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Law

"As judge of the 11th District Court, I believe that civility, professionalism, and respect are fundamental values that should be upheld in the legal profession. Growing up, I learned these values from my immigrant mother and fourth-generation Texan father. These values guide my actions on the bench, and I encourage all those who appear before me to adhere to them as well."

Sources: https://judgehawkins.com/about/

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

Justice Gisela D. Triana for Texas Supreme Court Place 8

Education Triana earned a B.A. from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1985 and a J.D. from the University of Texas Law School in 1988. Triana’s career experience includes working as Trial Division director with the Travis County Attorney’s Office and as staff attorney with the Texas Secretary of State’s Election Division.

Profession is a Judge for Place 6 of the Texas Third District Court of Appeals. She assumed office on January 1, 2019. Her current term ends on December 31, 2030.

Prior to being elected to the Texas Third Court of Appeals in 2018, Justice Gisela D. Triana had served on every level of Texas trial courts. She comes to the Third Court with over 23 years of experience on a trial bench, in both criminal and civil courts. Most recently, Justice Triana served for 14 years as the 200th District Court Judge, presiding over hundreds of cases involving complex civil cases. Before that, Justice Triana served as a Travis County Court at Law Judge. In that Court of criminal jurisdiction, she is recognized for stabilizing the Court’s docket and disposing of a massive backlog. Justice Triana has also served as a City of Austin Municipal Court Judge and as a Travis County Justice of the Peace. Justice Triana began her legal career as a prosecutor in the Travis County Attorney’s Office, where her work included representing victims of domestic violence and later served as the Director of the Trial Division in that office. Justice Triana also served as a Staff Attorney in the Texas Secretary of State’s Election Division and ran her own private law firm, Hanko & Triana, focusing on criminal and family law. Justice Triana’s service to our community also extends beyond her years of work on the bench. She has participated in Austin Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts, Volunteer Legal Services, Legal Line, the Pro-Bono College, Habitat for Humanity, Special Olympics, the Children’s Justice Act Task Force, Travis County Juvenile Board, Travis County Child Protective Services Board, Austin Recovery, and Chaired Middle Earth (helping homeless youth in Travis County). In 1985, Justice Triana graduated magna cum laude from The University of Texas at San Antonio. She graduated in 1988 from The University of Texas School of Law and has conducted training sessions for judges all over Texas on legal matters such as emergency protective orders, arraignment, magistration, and legal procedures. She has been a faculty member of The University of Texas International Office’s U.S. Law Program, which instructs foreign judges and lawyers on United States Law.

Sources: https://www.txcourts.gov/3rdcoa/about-the-court/justices/justice-gisela-d-triana/