Help us improve in just 2 minutes—share your thoughts in our reader survey.
Texas Fifteenth District Court of Appeals
The Texas Fifteenth District Court of Appeals is one of 15 intermediate appellate courts in Texas.[1]
- Published opinions of the Fifteenth District Court of Appeals can be found here.
| Texas Fifteenth District Court of Appeals | |||
 | |||
| Court information | |||
| Judges: | 3 | ||
| Founded: | 2024 | ||
| Salary: | Associates: $154,000[2] | ||
Jurisdiction
The Texas Fifteenth District Court of Appeals has jurisdiction over civil matters brought against the state. The court also has jurisdiction over appeals brought by Texas business courts over more than $10 million.[1]
Judges
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
September 1, 2024 - Present |
Greg Abbott |
|
|
September 1, 2024 - Present |
Greg Abbott |
|
|
September 1, 2024 - Present |
Greg Abbott |
Judicial selection
- See also: Partisan election of judges and Judicial selection in Texas
The three judges of the fifteenth district court were appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R). Their initial terms expire on December 31, 2026.
The justices of the Texas Court of Appeals are selected in district level partisan elections. The elected justices serve six-year terms, after which they must run for re-election if they wish to remain on the court.[3]
Qualifications
To serve on the Texas Court of Appeals, a justice must be:
- a U.S. citizen;
- a resident of Texas;
- licensed to practice law in the state;
- between the ages of 35 and 75;*[4][5] and
- a practicing lawyer and/or judge for at least 10 years.[3]
Chief justice
The chief justice of each district court is selected by voters at large. He or she serves in that capacity for a full six-year term.[3]
Vacancies
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.[3]
Ethics
The Texas Code of Judicial Conduct sets forth ethical guidelines and principles for the conduct of judges and judicial candidates in Texas. It consists of eight overarching canons:
- Canon 1: Upholding the Integrity and Independence of the Judiciary
- Canon 2: Avoiding Impropriety and the Appearance of Impropriety in All of the Judge’s Activities
- Canon 3: Performing the Duties of Judicial Office Impartially and Diligently
- Canon 4: Conducting the Judge's Extra-Judicial Activities to Minimize the Risk of Conflict with Judicial Obligations
- Canon 5: Refraining from Inappropriate Political Activity
- Canon 6: Compliance with the Code of Judicial Conduct
- Canon 7: Effective Date of Compliance
- Canon 8: Construction and Terminology of the Code[6]
The full text of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct can be found here.
Removal of judges
Court of Appeals judges in Texas may be removed in one of three ways:
- Removal or retirement by a review tribunal upon a Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct recommendation to the Supreme Court. The Commission investigates and, if warranted, prosecutes allegations of judicial misconduct. After a Commission recommendation, the Supreme Court selects a review tribunal made up of Court of Appeals judges to verify the Commission's findings and enter a judgment. Decisions are subject to appeal to the Supreme Court.
- By the governor on the address of two thirds of the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives.
- By a two-thirds vote of the Senate, upon impeachment by a majority vote of the House.
History
Below are some key highlights in the court's history:
[1]
- Texas appeals courts were established by an amendment to the Texas Constitution in 1891.
- The Texas Legislature authorized courts of civil appeals to issue writs of mandamus and all other writs necessary to enforce their jurisdiction in 1892.
- The Texas Fifteenth District Court was established in 2023 by the Texas legislature. The court's first term began on September 1, 2024.
State profile
| Demographic data for Texas | ||
|---|---|---|
| Texas | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 27,429,639 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 261,232 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 74.9% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 11.9% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 4.2% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.5% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 38.4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 81.9% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 27.6% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $53,207 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 19.9% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Texas. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Texas
Texas voted Republican in all seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, one is located in Texas, accounting for 0.5 percent of the total pivot counties.[7]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Texas had one Retained Pivot County, 0.55 percent of all Retained Pivot Counties.
More Texas coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Texas
- United States congressional delegations from Texas
- Public policy in Texas
- Endorsers in Texas
- Texas fact checks
- More...
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Texas Fifteenth District Court of Appeals
- ↑ This is the base salary, which may increase with years of service or if you hold the position of chief judge. Judges on the Texas Fifteenth District Court of Appeals have a base salary of $163,000.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Texas," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ Texas State Historical Association, "Judiciary," accessed September 12, 2014
- ↑ While no justice older than 74 may run for office, sitting justices who turn 75 are permitted to remain on the court until their terms expire.
- ↑ Texas Judicial Branch, "Texas Code of Judicial Conduct," amended September 1, 2024
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
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
