Supreme Court of Texas Decisions
Unlike every other state except Oklahoma, Texas divides its highest court into two entities. While the Texas Supreme Court resolves appeals of civil matters, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals resolves appeals of criminal cases. The Texas Supreme Court dates from 1836, when Texas was an independent republic that had not yet joined the U.S. In addition to holding mandatory jurisdiction over writs of habeas corpus and mandamus, it handles matters involving discipline in the legal profession and answers questions related to Texas law that have been certified from a federal appellate court.
The Supreme Court has discretionary jurisdiction over appeals of other cases. It generally focuses on cases that raise questions regarding a significant legal issue. Meanwhile, the Court of Criminal Appeals has discretionary jurisdiction over all criminal cases except those that involve a death sentence or other issues that affect the liberty of a defendant, which it must review.
To serve on the Supreme Court or the Court of Criminal Appeals, a candidate must be a resident of Texas and licensed to practice law in the state. They also must be a U.S. citizen between the ages of 35 and 74, and they must have served as an attorney or a judge for at least 10 years. Nine justices serve on each court, although no justice represents a specific judicial district. Texas uses partisan elections to elect its justices, each of whom serves a six-year term. In a partisan election, the party affiliation of the candidate appears on the ballot.
If a vacancy arises, the Governor of Texas will appoint a replacement justice to serve until the next general election. The Texas Senate must confirm the appointment if it is in session. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the Presiding Judge of the Court of Criminal Appeals run for those specific positions in the general election.
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Recent Decisions From the Supreme Court of Texas
Date: March 14, 2025
Docket Number: 23-0149
Justia Opinion Summary: A private, for-profit corporation, The GEO Group, Inc., which operates correctional facilities under contracts with federal and state government entities, was assessed a deficiency in sales and use taxes by the Texas…
Date: March 14, 2025
Docket Number: 23-0329
Justia Opinion Summary: Two business partners, Anthony Bertucci and Eugene Watkins, developed low-income housing projects through various entities. Bertucci provided funding, while Watkins managed the projects. Watkins managed the entities'…
Date: March 14, 2025
Docket Number: 24-0267
Justia Opinion Summary: The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services filed a petition in September 2022 for temporary orders requiring the parents to participate in state-provided services for their child's safety. The trial court…
Date: March 6, 2025
Docket Number: 23-0724
Date: February 21, 2025
Docket Number: 23-0427
Date: February 21, 2025
Docket Number: 23-0427
Justia Opinion Summary: Rudolph Rivas, a home builder and real estate developer, engaged the accounting firm Pitts & Pitts, operated by Brandon and Linda Pitts, for various accounting services from 2007 to 2017. The services included preparing…
Date: February 21, 2025
Docket Number: 23-0707
Date: February 14, 2025
Docket Number: 24-0116
Justia Opinion Summary: The case involves the interpretation of the phrase “has proven to be operational” in the definition of “best available control technology” (BACT) under Texas law. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) is…
Date: February 14, 2025
Docket Number: 24-0368
Justia Opinion Summary: Jane Roe, a student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, reported to President Paige Patterson that she had been sexually assaulted by a fellow student, John Doe. Patterson notified the police, and Doe was…
Date: February 14, 2025
Docket Number: 24-0452
Date: February 7, 2025
Docket Number: 23-0258
Date: February 7, 2025
Docket Number: 23-0273
Date: January 31, 2025
Docket Number: 24-0055
Date: December 31, 2024
Docket Number: 22-0662
Justia Opinion Summary: A fugitive led police on a high-speed chase in Austin, during which Officer Bullock collided with Noel Powell's minivan, causing injuries. Powell, who was not at fault, sued the City of Austin for damages. The City…
Date: December 31, 2024
Docket Number: 22-0787
Justia Opinion Summary: Hakan and Lauren Oksuzler married in 2010 and divorced in 2019. Hakan worked for Bank of America, receiving an annual bonus based on his performance. After their divorce, Lauren sought to have Hakan’s 2019 bonus, paid in…
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
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