Texas
Supreme Court
Texas’s highest court for civil matters is the Supreme Court of Texas. The court has eight justices and one chief justice. The chief justice is selected according to the same procedures as the associate justices. (Source: Texas Constitution)
Judicial Selection
Texas Supreme Court justices are selected for six-year terms through a partisan election, where multiple candidates may vie for the seat. Justices may seek additional terms through partisan elections. When a seat opens in the middle of a justice’s term, the governor appoints a candidate to fill the vacancy. The governor’s selection must be confirmed by a majority of the state senate. The appointed justice holds office until Texas’ next general election. The elected justice serves a six-year term. There is no limit on the number of terms a justice may serve; however, a justice may not stand for election after turning 75. A justice who turns 75 during the first four years of a six-year term must vacate the seat at the end of the calendar year of the term’s fourth year. A justice who turns 75 in the final two years of the term is permitted to complete the term.
Court of Criminal Appeals
Texas’s highest court for criminal matters is the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. The court has eight judges and one presiding judge. The presiding judge is chosen by election. (Source: Texas Constitution)
Judicial Selection
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judges are selected for six-year terms through a partisan election, where multiple candidates may vie for the seat. Justices may seek additional terms through partisan elections. When a seat on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals becomes open in the middle of a judge’s term, the governor appoints a candidate to fill the vacancy. The governor’s selection must be confirmed by a majority of the state senate. The appointed judge holds office until Texas’ next general election. The elected judge serves a six-year term. There is no limit on the number of terms a judge may serve; however, a judge may not stand for election after turning 75. A judge who turns 75 during the first four years of a six-year term must vacate the seat at the end of the calendar year of the term’s fourth year. A judge who turns 75 in the final two years of the seat’s term is permitted to complete the term.
State Constitution
Texas has had five state constitutions adopted between 1845 and 1876. As of January 1, 2024, it had 129 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
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How Much Do You Know About State Constitutions and Courts?
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Law Student Cheat Sheet: Understanding State Courts and Constitutions
As the school year kicks off, we’ve rounded up some of our top explainer essays on how state courts and state constitutions work, protect rights, and influence major U.S. legal issues. Consider it your “State Constitutions 101.”
Back-to-School Scholarship Roundup: State Courts, Constitutional Law, and Federalism
Recent books and law review articles discuss voter disenfranchisement, separation of church and state, and much more.
What Happens if the U.S. Supreme Court Guts the Voting Rights Act?
State provisions could help fill a voting rights gap, but they are a poor substitute for a strong federal standard.
The Lawsuits to Expel Texas’s Democratic Lawmakers Lack Any Support
The governor and attorney general’s claims that the state supreme court should expel lawmakers who fled the state to stop the legislature from gerrymandering congressional districts are unsubstantiated and contradictory.
Recent State Judicial Opinions Critique Lockstepping
Justices in Connecticut, Texas, and Pennsylvania have called on their courts to embrace independent state constitutional interpretations.
A New Tool Makes Comparing State Constitutions Easier
Scholars, practitioners, and judges can quickly see how constitutional provisions differ or overlap with a resource from the nonprofit American Juris Link.
Universal Injunctions in State Courts
Debates over whether a judge in a single county can issue a statewide injunction are brewing. States should not follow the U.S. Supreme Court’s approach.