No Primary Race in March
November General Election Race only
| Court & Place | Democrat | Republican | Notes/Other |
|---|---|---|---|
Gina Benavides
| Jaime Tijerina
| Candidate (L) | |
| Texas Bar Card Number | 17992450 | 00794741 | |
| Campaign Mailing Address | 4405 S. Shea Parkway Corpus Christi, Texas 78413 | Jaime Tijerina Campaign POB 4015 McAllen, TX 78502 | |
| Campaign Contact | JusticeGina@justiceginabenavides.com | vote@jaimeforjustice.com | |
| Campaign Website | website | website | |
| Social Media Links | twitter | twitter | |
| Current Occupation | Justice, 13th Court of Appeals Place 5 Since 2007 | Justice, 13th Court of Appeals | |
| Years of Texas Residency | |||
| JD School & Year | University of Houston Law Center 1988 | Thurgood Marshall School of Law Texas Southern University 1995 | |
| Other Education | B.B.A., University of Texas at Austin 1985 | B.B.A., Business UT-Pan American 1991 | |
| Year of State Bar Licensure | 1988 | 1995 | |
| Legal Experience - Nonjudicial | Litigator: Gonzalez & Associates, P.C.; McAllen (2000-07) Adams & Graham Law Firm; Harlingen (1988-2000) | Deputy City Attorney, City of Mission (2015-2018) Attorney, Jaime Tijerina, Lawyer (1995-present) Judge Advocate, U.S. Army (1988-2020) | |
| Jury Trial Experience | |||
| Appellate Judicial Experience | Justice, 13th Court of Appeals Place 5 Since 2007 *Has authored more than 900 opinions on issues involving civil and criminal matters | ||
| Other Judicial Experience | Judge, 92nd District Court, Hidalgo County (2013-14) County Attorney, Kenedy County (2000-13) | ||
| Board Certifications | |||
| Courts Admitted | Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Texas Southern District/Bankruptcy Court | All Texas State Courts US Southern Dist. of Texas US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces | |
| Honors and Awards | Latina Judge of the Year, National Hispanic Bar Association (2007) Judge of the Year, Hispanic Issues Section, Texas State Bar (2016) Super Lawyer, Texas Monthly (2004) Super Lawyer, Texas Monthly (2003) | ||
| Prior Elections | |||
| Most Recent Bar Polls | 2024 Poll 264 70% | 2024 Poll 111 30% | |
| Key Endorsements (Max 5) | |||
| Judicial Philosophy (Max 250 words) | As the Senior Justice on the 13th Court, I know first-hand how important the role of the Chief Justice is in establishing a culture of deliberation, transparency, and respect for the law, no matter the political consequences.
I’m running for Chief Justice to ensure the law is applied equally and fairly to all. What happens in our courts has a direct impact on the lives of regular Texas today, and for generations to come. | I would describe my Judicial Philosophy as a "loyalty to the law" as written. There is no better way to determine the intent of the constitution or statutes than by reading the actual words used by the drafters to express their intent. | |
| Misc | Tried more than 30 cases throughout the state of Texas Concentrations: toxic tort, products liability, commercial litigation, and personal injury | Veteran, Iraq and Afghanistan Board member and board secretary of the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley Former board member and board president of the University of Texas Pan American Former board member of the Hidalgo County Young Lawyers Association Former board member and chair of the State Bar of Texas District 13 Grievance Committee Former board member of the Texas District and County Attorney's Association Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation Member of the Texas Prosecutor's Society | |
| Date Submitted by Candidate | Data from public sources | Data from public sources |
