Texas Supreme Court
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The Texas Supreme Court was established in 1836 by the Constitution of the Republic of Texas, which put the judicial power of the Republic in "…one Supreme Court and such inferior courts as the Congress may establish." The court consists of nine justices: a chief justice and eight associate justices. The people of Texas elect the members of the high-court to six-year terms in partisan elections. To serve on the Supreme Court bench each justice must be licensed to practice law in Texas and be at least 35-years old. State law also requires each jurist to have at least ten years of experience practicing law and or have served as a judge on a Texas court of record.[1]
The court's responsibilities
The court hears cases; its caseload comes from three main areas:
- Determining whether to grant review of the final judgment of a court of appeals or certain interlocutory orders via a petition for review;
- Disposition of regular causes which include review of a final judgment, petitions for writs of mandamus or habeas corpus, certified questions, accepted parental notification appeals, and direct appeals;
- Disposition of numerous motions related to petitions and regular causes.
The court also administers the court and justice system (the judiciary) througout Texas. It is responsible for ensuring the efficient administration of justice in the way that it handles its administrative duties, which include:
- Promulgating the Rules of Civil Procedure for the Texas judicial system (Gov’t Code §22.004);
- Promulgating rules of administration for the Texas judicial system (Gov’t Code §72.024);
- Equalizing the dockets of state's fourteen courts of appeals (Gov’t Code §73.001);
- Promulgating the rules of procedure for the Commission on Judicial Conduct, and disciplining judges or removing judges from office (Gov’t Code, Ch. 33, art. V, sec.1-a);
- Supervising the operations of the State Bar of Texas and the rules and regulations for the admission, discipline, supervision, and disbarment of lawyers, and approving the law schools of the State (Gov’t Code, Ch. 81); and
- Promulgating the rules for the operation of the Court Reporters Certification Board and the disciplinary rules enforced by this Board (Gov’t Code §52.002).
Election of the Court's justices
The nine justices are elected to staggered six-year terms in state-wide partisan elections. When a vacancy occurs, the Governor of Texas may appoint a replacement to serve out the remainder of the unexpired term. If the governor does appoint a replacement, that choice is subject to a confirmation vote in the Texas state senate.
Five of the current nine justices were originally appointed by Governor Rick Perry. The current Supreme Court bench consists of Judges that identify with the Republican Party.
The place numbers have no special meaning as all justices are elected state-wide, except that the Chief Justice position is considered "Place 1".
Current justices
| Justice | Party Affiliation | Place | Date Service Began | Term Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wallace Jefferson | Republican | Chief Justice | September 20, 2004 | 2008 |
| Don Willett | Republican | 2 | August 24, 2005 | 2012 |
| Harriet O'Neill | Republican | 3 | January 1, 1999 | 2010 |
| David Medina | Republican | 4 | November 10, 2004 | 2012 |
| Paul Green | Republican | 5 | January 1, 2005 | 2010 |
| Nathan Hecht | Republican | 6 | January 1, 1989 | 2012 |
| J. Dale Wainwright | Republican | 7 | January 1, 2003 | 2008 |
| Phil Johnson | Republican | 8 | April 11, 2005 | 2008 |
| Scott Brister | Republican | 9 | November 21, 2003 | 2010 |
Administrative authority
The Texas Supreme Court:
- Has administrative control over the State Bar of Texas, an agency of the judiciary (see Tex. Gov’t Code section 81.011);
- The Texas Supreme Court has the sole authority to license attorneys in Texas (see Tex. Gov't Code sections 81.061 and 82.021);
- Has authority to appoint the members of the Board of Law Examiners (see Tex. Gov't Code section 82.001) which, under instructions of the Supreme Court, administers the Texas bar examination (see Tex. Gov't Code section 82.004).
See also
External Links
- The Supreme Court of Texas: A Balanced Court -- A Special Issue Report (October 2008)
- Interstate Comity: Cheers for Texas
- Fringe Tactics: Special Interest Groups Target Judicial Races
- Texas Supreme Court Official Site
- Website of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
- 2008 Judicial Elections Page
- Administration of judiciary in Texas
- Supreme Court of Texas blog
- Texas Supreme Court Webcasts - St. Mary University School of Law
- The Texas Reports, the decisions of the Texas Supreme Court from 1846 to 1885, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
- Texas Judiciary page from The Handbook of Texas Online
- Texas Supreme Court Historical Society
- Texas SC Opinions
- Texas high court: Removal of sect kids 'not warranted', CNN.com
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