State Courts Guide Texas - State Courts Guide

State High Court	Judicial Selection Process	Legal Authority
Supreme Court of Texas	General In a partisan primary election, the candidate who receives a majority of the votes is placed on the ballot for the general election. If no one receives a majority, there is a run-off primary election. The candidate who receives the highest number of votes in the general election is appointed to the Texas Supreme Court. Interim Vacancies A vacancy in the office of Chief Justice, Justice, or Judge of the Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, the Court of Appeals, or the District Courts shall be filled by the Governor until the next succeeding General Election for state officers, and at that election the voters shall fill the vacancy for the unexpired term.	Texas CONST. art. V § 2 Texas Election Code Ann. § 172.002 Texas Election Code Ann. § 172.003 Texas Election Code Ann. § 172.004 Texas Election Code Ann. § 2.001 Texas CONST. art. V § 28

State High Court

Judicial Selection Process

Legal Authority

General

In a partisan primary election, the candidate who receives a majority of the votes is placed on the ballot for the general election.
If no one receives a majority, there is a run-off primary election.
The candidate who receives the highest number of votes in the general election is appointed to the Texas Supreme Court.

Interim Vacancies

A vacancy in the office of Chief Justice, Justice, or Judge of the Supreme Court, the Court of Criminal Appeals, the Court of Appeals, or the District Courts shall be filled by the Governor until the next succeeding General Election for state officers, and at that election the voters shall fill the vacancy for the unexpired term.

Latest News

Forum on Selection Methods for State Judges

Dallas Lawyers Chapter, 17 March 2009 – Event Audio/Video

Featuring: Wallace Jefferson, Harold F. See, Jr., Dan Morenoff

Texas Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Private-Property Owners in Case on Public Access to Beaches

In a case of first impression, the Texas Supreme Court recently ruled in Severance v. Paterson1 that the rights of private-property owners trump the public’s right to access beaches on private property. The court held 5-3 that when an act of nature “suddenly and dramatically” pushes back the vegetation line on a beach, the public easement that state law creates on beaches does not move along with it.2 In other words, while easements may change gradually, an avulsion3 does not entitle the state to a drastic expansion of its claim over existing private property.4 This article will describe the background and decision in Severance and examine how this case fits in with coastal-property jurisprudence.
State Court Challenges to Legislatively Enacted Tort Reforms

Over the past three decades, proponents of civil liability reform have made significant gains.1 Propelled by significant electoral gains in the 2010 cycle, it appears that the trend will continue this year, with 21 states so far enacting civil liability legislation.