The Texas Chief Justice presides over the Supreme Court of Texas and serves as the administrative head of the state’s entire judicial branch. Jimmy Blacklock has held the position since January 2025, appointed by Governor Greg Abbott after Nathan Hecht, the 27th Chief Justice, retired at the end of 2024.1Texas Judicial Branch. Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht to Retire from the Supreme Court of Texas The job combines courtroom leadership on the state’s highest civil court with oversight of a system that reaches all 254 Texas counties.
What the Chief Justice Does on the Court
The Chief Justice leads a nine-member court, presiding over oral arguments and running the private conferences where the justices deliberate. Each justice casts one equal vote. There is no tiebreaker, and the Chief Justice has no extra ballot.
The real influence of the office inside the courtroom comes from a different source: after conference, the Chief Justice assigns who writes the majority opinion. That choice shapes how a ruling is framed and how lower courts across Texas will read it later.2Justia. Texas Constitution Article 5 – Section 2
One structural point worth knowing. Texas is one of only two states (Oklahoma is the other) that splits its highest court in two. The Supreme Court hears civil cases only. Criminal appeals go to a separate body, the Court of Criminal Appeals. Juvenile matters count as civil under Texas law and stay with the Supreme Court. So the Chief Justice’s courtroom work is entirely on the civil side.
Most of the court’s workload is deciding which civil appeals to take and resolving legal questions important to the state. Under Government Code Section 22.001, the court can hear appealable civil judgments it finds significant to Texas jurisprudence, and it can take direct appeals from trial court orders on the constitutionality of state statutes without waiting for an intermediate court to weigh in.3State of Texas. Texas Government Code GOVT 22.001 – Jurisdiction The court also has original jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus against state officers (the Governor excepted), which is how it corrects clear errors by trial judges without waiting for a full appeal.
Administrative Powers Across the Texas Judiciary
Outside the courtroom, the Chief Justice runs the judicial branch. Government Code Section 21.004 requires a State of the Judiciary message to the Legislature at the start of each regular session, assessing how accessible the courts are and setting out the branch’s needs.4State of Texas. Texas Government Code GOVT 21.004 The Chief Justice also chairs the Texas Judicial Council, the policymaking body for the state’s courts,5Texas Judicial Branch. Texas Judicial Council – Members and oversees the Office of Court Administration, which supports local courts statewide.
Rulemaking
Article V, Section 31 of the Texas Constitution charges the Supreme Court with writing the rules of civil procedure for every court in the state, along with the rules of judicial administration.6Texas Judicial Branch. Texas Court Rules History and Process These rules govern how lawsuits are filed, how discovery works, and how trials proceed. A single rule change can affect every civil case in Texas, and the Chief Justice guides that process.
Moving Cases and Judges Where They Are Needed
Under Government Code Section 73.001, the court can transfer cases among the state’s fifteen courts of appeals to even out caseloads.7State of Texas. Texas Government Code Section 73.001 – Authority to Transfer The authority belongs to the full court, but the Chief Justice drives it in practice. The Chief Justice can also assign active or retired judges to courts facing temporary vacancies or heavy backlogs, keeping dockets moving without waiting for the Governor to make a permanent appointment.
How Someone Becomes Chief Justice
The Chief Justice is elected statewide in a partisan election, the same way as the eight associate justices. Terms run six years, and three of the nine seats are up every two years.2Justia. Texas Constitution Article 5 – Section 2 Candidates run in party primaries first, then face opponents in November. Fundraising, endorsements, and party affiliation all matter.
When the seat opens up mid-term, the Governor appoints a replacement who then has to win the next general election to stay on.8Office of the Texas Governor. Governor’s Appointments That is the path Blacklock took in January 2025.
Qualifications come from Article V, Section 2 of the Texas Constitution and are the same as those for any associate justice:2Justia. Texas Constitution Article 5 – Section 2
- At least 35 years old
- A citizen of the United States and of Texas at the time of election
- Licensed to practice law in Texas
- At least 10 years of experience as a practicing lawyer, or as a lawyer and judge of a court of record combined
The 10-year experience requirement is the real barrier. Combined with the age floor, it means candidates have usually spent well over a decade in the profession before they are even eligible.
Pay, Mandatory Retirement, and Conduct Oversight
As of September 2025, the Chief Justice earns $266,700 a year. That figure combines the $252,000 base salary for a justice with eight or more years of service and a $14,700 supplement attached to the Chief Justice position.9Texas Judicial Branch. Judicial Salaries Effective September 2025 Justices with less service earn a lower base; the supplement is the same.
The Texas Constitution forces a retirement date. Under Article V, Section 1-a, a justice’s office becomes vacant at age 75, or at an earlier age set by the Legislature that cannot be below 70.10Justia. Texas Constitution Article 5 – Section 1-a Hecht hit that mark at the end of 2024.
The Chief Justice is not above ethical oversight. The Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct, an independent agency, investigates misconduct or disability complaints against every Texas judge, Supreme Court justices included. The public can file complaints directly. Sanctions range from private admonishment to a public recommendation for removal, and the commission operates outside the court system it monitors.