Your feedback ensures we stay focused on the facts that matter to you most—take our survey

Texas Supreme Court Justice Blacklock vacancy (January 2025)

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search


Texas Supreme Court
State-Supreme-Courts-Ballotpedia.png
Blacklock vacancy
Date:
January 6, 2025
Status:
Seat vacant
Nomination
Nominee:
James Sullivan
Date:
January 6, 2025
See also: Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice vacancy (December 2024)
See also: Texas Supreme Court Justice Boyd vacancy (2025)

Governor Greg Abbott (R) appointed James Sullivan to replace outgoing Texas Supreme Court Justice Jimmy Blacklock, who ascended to the Chief Justice position on January 6, 2025. Sulivan was Governor Abbott's (R) seventh nominee to the nine-member supreme court.[1]

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:

The appointee

See also: James Sullivan


Education

Sullivan earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rice University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.[3]

Career

Prior to his appointment to the Texas Supreme Court, Sullivan served as general counsel to Gov. Greg Abbott (R) from 2021 to 2025. He previously served as Assistant Solicitor General of Texas and Deputy General Counsel to the governor.[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 Blacklock's ascension, the Texas Supreme Court included the following members:

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 Justice Blacklock

See also: Jimmy Blacklock
See also: Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice vacancy (December 2024)


Education

Blacklock received an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and a J.D. from Yale Law School.[6]

Career

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.[6]

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.[7]

Other state supreme court appointments in 2025

See also: State supreme court vacancies, 2025

The following table lists vacancies on state supreme courts that opened in 2025. Click the link under the Court column for a particular vacancy for more information on that vacancy.

Click here for vacancies that opened in 2024.

2025 State
Supreme Court Vacancies
View supreme court vacancies by state:


See also

Texas Judicial Selection More Courts
Seal of Texas.png
Judicialselectionlogo.png
BP logo.png
Courts in Texas
Texas Courts of Appeals
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Texas Supreme Court
Elections: 202520242023202220212020201920182017
Gubernatorial appointments
Judicial selection in Texas
Federal courts
State courts
Local courts

External links

Footnotes