Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
Sara Kate Billingsley
Do you have a photo that could go here? Click here to submit it for this profile!
2020
Sara Kate Billingsley is a judge on the 446th District Court in Ector County Texas. The 446th District is a family court that was created by law on June 19, 2015. Billingsley was appointed by Governor Greg Abbott (R) on August 18, 2015. She took office September 1.[1]
Billingsley won re-election without opposition in 2016. The general election took place on November 8, 2016.[2]
Elections
2016
Texas held general elections for local judicial offices on November 8, 2016. A primary election took place on March 1, 2016. A primary runoff election was held on May 24, 2016, for any seat where the top vote recipient did not receive a majority of the primary vote.[3] Incumbent Sara Kate Billingsley ran unopposed in the Texas 446th District Court Republican primary.[2]
| Texas 446th District Court, Republican Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | ||
 Sara Kate Billingsley Incumbent | ||
Sara Kate Billingsley won without opposition in the general election.
Selection method
- See also: Partisan election of judges
The judges of the Texas District Courts are chosen in partisan elections. They serve four-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to continue serving.[4]
Though Texas is home to more than 400 district courts, the courts are grouped into nine administrative judicial regions. Each region is overseen by a presiding judge who is appointed by the governor to a four-year term. According to the state courts website, the presiding judge may be a "regular elected or retired district judge, a former judge with at least 12 years of service as a district judge, or a retired appellate judge with judicial experience on a district court."[5]
Qualifications
To serve on the district courts, a judge must be:
- a U.S. citizen;
- a resident of Texas;
- licensed to practice law in the state;
- between the ages of 25 and 75;*[6]
- a practicing lawyer and/or state judge for at least four years; and
- a resident of his or her respective judicial district for at least two years.[4]
*While no judge older than 74 may run for office, sitting judges who turn 75 are permitted to continue serving until their term expires.[4]
Education
Billingsley received a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Texas, Permian Basin and a J.D. from the University of Oklahoma College of Law.[1]
Career
At the time of her judicial appointment, Billingsley was the managing partner of the Billingsley Law Firm. She was previously an associate attorney at the law offices of Todd, Barron, Thomason & Hudman.[1]
Awards and associations
- Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation
- President, Food2Kids Board of Directors
- Pillar chairman, United Way of Odessa
- Chairman, Merchants for the Junior League of Odessa Merry Marketplace
- Former president & treasurer, Ector County Bar Association[1]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Office of the Governor Greg Abbott, "Governor Abbott Appoints Billingsley Judge Of 446th Judicial District Court," August 18, 2015
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Texas Secretary of State, "Official candidate list," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State, "Important 2016 Election Dates," accessed December 18, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Texas," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ Texas Courts Online, "Administrative Judicial Regions," accessed September 12, 2014
- ↑ Texas State Historical Association, "Judiciary," accessed September 12, 2014
Federal courts:
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas
State courts:
Texas Supreme Court • Texas Court of Appeals • Texas Court of Criminal Appeals • Texas District Courts • Texas County Courts • Texas County Courts at Law • Texas Statutory Probate Courts • Texas Justice of the Peace Courts
State resources:
Courts in Texas • Texas judicial elections • Judicial selection in Texas
