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Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice vacancy (December 2024)
| Texas Supreme Court |
|---|
 |
| Hecht vacancy |
| Date: December 31, 2024 |
| Status: Seat filled |
| Nomination |
| Nominee: Jimmy Blacklock |
| Date: January 6, 2025 |
Governor Greg Abbott (R) appointed Jimmy Blacklock on January 6, 2025.[1] Blacklock, an associate justice of the Texas Supreme Court since 2018, replaces outgoing Chief Justice Nathan Hecht, who retired on December 31, 2024, due to reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. Blacklock was Governor Abbott's sixth appointee to the nine-member supreme court.
In Texas, state supreme court justices are elected in partisan elections. There are eight states that use this selection method. To read more about the partisan election of judges, click here.
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.[2]
Ballotpedia has compiled the following resources on the process to fill the Texas Supreme Court vacancy:
- An overview of the appointee.
- An overview of the selection process.
- An overview of the court following the vacancy.
- An overview of the justice who left office.
- A list of other state supreme court appointments in 2024.
The appointee
- See also: Jimmy Blacklock
- See also: Texas Supreme Court Justice vacancy (January 2025)
Education
Blacklock received an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and a J.D. from Yale Law School.[3]
Career
- 2018 - Present: Justice, Texas Supreme Court
- 2025-Present: Chief Justice, Texas Supreme Court
- 2018-2025: Associate Justice, Texas Supreme Court
Prior to his appointment to the Texas Supreme Court, Blacklock served as general counsel to Gov. Greg Abbott (R). Before that, he served six years in the Texas Attorney General's office. He was also previously appointed to the Civil Rights Division within the United States Department of Justice by President George W. Bush (R). Following law school, he served as law clerk to Judge Jerry Smith on the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.[3]
Blacklock was first appointed Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court on January 6, 2025. He was sworn into office on January 6, 2025, succeeding justice Nathan Hecht.[4]
The selection process
- See also: Judicial selection in Texas
In Texas, state supreme court justices are elected in partisan elections. There are eight states that use this selection method. To read more about the partisan election of judges, click here.
Makeup of the court
- See also: Texas Supreme Court
Justices
Following Hecht's retirement, the Texas Supreme Court included the following members:
| ■ Jimmy Blacklock (Position 2) | Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2018, and elected in 2024 | |
| ■ Debra Lehrmann (Position 3) | Appointed by Gov. Rick Perry (R) in 2010, and elected in 2016 and 2022 | |
| ■ John Devine (Position 4) | Elected in 2012, 2018, and 2024 | |
| ■ Rebeca Huddle (Position 5) | Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2020, and elected in 2022 | |
| ■ Jane Bland (Position 6) | Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2019, and elected in 2020 and 2024 | |
| ■ Jeffrey S. Boyd (Position 7) | Appointed by Gov. Rick Perry (R) in 2012, and elected in 2014 and 2020 | |
| ■ Brett Busby (Position 8) | Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2019, and elected in 2020 | |
| ■ Evan Young (Position 9) | Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) in 2021, and elected in 2022 |
About the court
Founded in 1836, the Texas Supreme Court is the state's court of last resort for civil matters and has nine judgeships. The current chief of the court is Jimmy Blacklock.
As of January 2025, all nine judges on the court identified with the Republican Party.
The Texas Supreme Court meets in Austin, Texas.[5]
In Texas, state supreme court justices are elected in partisan elections. There are eight states that use this selection method. To read more about the partisan election of judges, click here.
About Chief Justice Hecht
- See also: Nathan Hecht
Hecht received his B.A. in philosophy from Yale University and his law degree from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.[6] Hecht has clerked for Judge Roger Robb of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He has served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve, worked in private practice, and, from 1981 to 1986, served on the 95th District Court. In 1986, Hecht was elected to the Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals, where he remained until he was elected to the Texas Supreme Court.[7]
Hecht has served as a member of the American Law Institute and a fellow for the American Bar Association.[7]
Other state supreme court appointments in 2024
- See also: State supreme court vacancies, 2024
The following table lists vacancies on state supreme courts that opened in 2024. Click the link under the Court column for a particular vacancy for more information on that vacancy.
Click here for vacancies that opened in 2023.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Jimmy Blacklock named new chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court," January 6, 2025
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedTXgeneral - ↑ 3.0 3.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedappoint - ↑ The Texas Tribune, "Jimmy Blacklock named new chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court," January 6, 2025
- ↑ Texas Judicial Branch, "Supreme Court," accessed August 31, 2021
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Justice Nathan L. Hecht (TX)," accessed December 1, 2014
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Supreme Court of Texas, "Justice Nathan L. Hecht," archived October 17, 2014
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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
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