Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Texas's highest court for criminal cases, whose nine judges are elected on party tickets.
Last refreshed: 5 November 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Could Democrats end the all-Republican Texas Court of Criminal Appeals?
Timeline for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
Mentioned in: Talarico beats Paxton by 1.2m in Texas
US Midterms 2026Background
Democratic candidates led for three seats on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on the Texas Secretary of State's unofficial feed on 4 November 2026, part of a down-ballot swing that also unseated Governor Greg Abbott.
the Court is Texas's court of last resort for criminal cases; civil appeals go to the Supreme Court of Texas. It has a presiding judge and eight judges, all elected statewide in staggered partisan elections to six-year terms, and sits in Austin. It must hear death-sentence appeals. It was created by a constitutional amendment in 1891, and before this election all nine judges were Republicans.
Because Texas elects its judges on party tickets, a statewide swing reaches the bench directly. Democratic gains would end the Court's all-Republican make-up.
What is the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals?
How are Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judges chosen?
Did Democrats gain seats on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 2026?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 5 November 2026. Editorial standards.