Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock

Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock became the 28th Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court in January 2025 by appointment from Governor Greg Abbott.  He was initially appointed to the Court in 2018, after which he was elected by the people of Texas in 2018 and 2024.

Before joining the Court, Chief Justice Blacklock served as General Counsel to the Governor and held senior positions in the Texas Attorney General’s office.  Earlier in his career, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.  He also worked in private practice in Houston and Austin.  He clerked for Judge Jerry Smith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit after graduating from the University of Texas and Yale Law School. 

Chief Justice Blacklock was born in Houston, grew up in Missouri City, and now lives in Austin with his wife and their three daughters.