Branch

Supreme Court

The Supreme Court of Texas

Composed of the chief justice and eight justices, the Supreme Court of Texas is the court of last resort for civil matters in the state. The Supreme Court is in Austin, immediately northwest of the state Capitol.

Supreme Court justices are elected to staggered six-year terms in statewide elections. When a vacancy arises the governor may appoint a Justice, subject to Senate confirmation, to serve the remainder of an unexpired term until the next general election. Justices must be at least 35 years old, a citizen of Texas, licensed to practice law in Texas and must have practiced law (or have been a lawyer and a judge of a court of record together) for at least ten years (see Texas Constitution, Art. 5, Sec. 2).

By statute the Court has administrative control over the State Bar of Texas. Tex. Gov't Code § 81.011. 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. Tex. Gov't Code §§ 82.00, 82.004.

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.

State Bar Says Farewell to Justice Phil Johnson

April 17, 2019

Flanked by Texas Bar Executive Director Trey Apffel and Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht – and as always by his side, his wife, Carla – Justice Phil Johnson said his goodbye to Texas lawyers, his former colleagues and other judges and friends Wednesday in a crowded reception at the Texas Law Center.

Gov. Abbott Swears In a New Justice, J. Brett Busby

March 20, 2019

Standing before Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who nominated him, J. Brett Busby repeated the oath of office as the governor delivered it Wednesday afternoon, becoming the Court’s newest justice.

Justice Brown Nominated for Federal Trial Court in Galveston

March 08, 2019

President Donald J. Trump will nominate Justice Jeff Brown to serve as U.S. district court judge for the Southern District of Texas, the White House announced Friday. Justice Brown has served on the Texas Supreme Court since 2013. Before joining the Supreme Court he served as a justice on the 14th Court of Appeals in Houston and, before that, as a judge on the 55th District Court in Harris County. After graduating magna cum laude from the University of Houston Law Center, Brown clerked for Justices Jack Tower and Greg Abbott of the Texas Supreme Court, then practiced law with Baker Botts LLP in Houston. He earned a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin.

Chief Justice Delivers State of Judiciary to Texas Legislature

February 06, 2019

Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht delivered his State of the Judiciary address Wednesday before a joint session of the Texas Legislature in the House of Representatives, calling for bail reform and money for continuing technological improvements for pretrial-release considerations, higher salaries for judges and non-partisan election of judges. He also urged reforms that protect people in guardianship, juvenile-justice improvement and mental-health needs for criminal offenders.

History made? Texas, Arkansas high courts hear cases in Texarkana

January 29, 2019

In what appears a first for two state supreme courts, the highest courts in Texas and Arkansas conducted oral arguments Wednesday and Thursday in a joint appearance in Texarkana.

New Oaths, New Terms for Three Justices Elected in November

January 02, 2019

Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht administers oaths on New Year's Day.

Court Approves Task Force's Recommendation to Adopt Uniform Bar Examination

October 08, 2018

The Texas Supreme Court has adopted a task force’s recommendation to replace the Texas bar examination with the Uniform Bar Examination, which will allow new lawyers who pass the exam a score that can be applied for bar admission in more than 30 other states and territories.