Court History
Few Brewster (September 21, 1945, to September 20, 1957):
Supreme Court commissioner became justice in September 1945 by constitutional amendment. Elected in November 1948 and re-elected in November 1954. Retired in September 1957. Died October 12, 1957.
Joe R. Greenhill (October 1, 1957, to October 4, 1972):
Appointed in October 1957 by Governor Price Daniel to fill Brewster's vacancy. Elected in November 1958 and re-elected in November 1960 and November 1966. Appointed chief justice in 1972 by Governor Preston Smith. Elected chief justice in November 1972.
Hawthorne Phillips (October 4, 1972, to December 31, 1972):
Appointed in October 1972 by Governor Preston Smith to fill Greenhill's vacancy. Term ended in December 1972.
Sam Johnson (January 1, 1973, to October 16, 1979):
Elected in November 1972 and re-elected in November 1978. Resigned in October 1979 after appointment to U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit.
Will Garwood (November 15, 1979, to December 31, 1980):
Appointed by Governor William P. Clements to fill Johnson's vacancy.
C. L. Ray Jr. (November 25, 1980, to December 31, 1990):
Elected in November 1980 to Johnson's unexpired term and re-elected in November 1984. Retired in January 1991.
Robert A. Gammage (January 1, 1991, to August 31, 1995):
Elected in November 1990. Retired in September 1995.
James A. Baker (September 1, 1995, to August 31, 2002):
Appointed in August 1995 by Governor George W. Bush to fill Gammage's vacancy. Elected in November 1996. Retired in September 2002.
Michael H. Schneider (September 6, 2002, to September 20, 2004):
Appointed by Governor Rick Perry. Elected in November 2002. Resigned to assume U.S. District Court bench.
Phil Johnson (April 11, 2005, to December 31, 2018):
Appointed by Governor Perry and elected in 2006 to finish Justice Schneider's term and elected in 2008 and 2014. Justice Johnson retired from the Court on December 31, 2018.
J. Brett Busby (March 20, 2019, to present)
Appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott in February 2019 to finish Justice Johnson's unexpired term ending December 31, 2020. Elected in November 2020. His current term ends December 31, 2026.