Supreme Court of Texas
Texas's highest court for civil cases, whose nine justices are elected on party tickets.
Last refreshed: 5 November 2026
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Timeline for Supreme Court of Texas
Mentioned in: Talarico beats Paxton by 1.2m in Texas
US Midterms 2026Background
Democrat Maggie Ellis had 52.45% against Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock on the Texas Secretary of State's unofficial feed on 4 November 2026. Democrats also led for three more seats on the Court, part of the swing that unseated Governor Greg Abbott.
the Court is Texas's court of last resort for civil cases, including juvenile cases; criminal appeals go to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. It has a chief justice and eight justices, all elected statewide in staggered partisan elections to six-year terms. The governor fills vacancies until the next general election. It sits in Austin and dates from 1846. Before this election all nine justices were Republicans, and Blacklock had been chief justice since January 2025.
Because Texas elects its judges on party tickets, a statewide swing reaches the bench directly.
What does the Supreme Court of Texas decide?
How are Texas Supreme Court justices chosen?
Who is running against Texas Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 5 November 2026. Editorial standards.