Uncontested in Republican primary
Uncontested in Democratic primary
These candidates will face each other in the November general election
| Court & Place | Democrat | Republican | Notes/Other |
|---|---|---|---|
Julie Countiss (D) | David Gunn*
| Candidate (L) | |
| Campaign Mailing Address | PO Box 684281 Austin TX 78768 | . | |
| Campaign Phone | |||
| Campaign Website | juliecountiss.com | justicedavidgunn.com | |
| Social Media Links | twitter | ||
| Bar Card Number | 24036407 | 08621600 | |
| Current Occupation | Partner, Conklin Countiss Sternfels PLLC | Justice, 1st Court of Appeals 2024-present | |
| Years of Texas Residency | native Texan | native Texan | |
| JD School & Year | University of Houston 2002 | Baylor School of Law 1987 | |
| Other Education | Southern Methodist University 1993 | University of Houston Law Center, LLM International Economic Law, 1989 MIT, MS Chemical Engineering, 1984 UT Austin, BS in Chemical Engineering, 1982 | |
| Year of State Bar Licensure | 2002 | 1987 | |
| Legal Experience - Nonjudicial | Assistant County Attorney, Harris County | Justice, 1st Court of Appeals, 2024-present Beck Redden LLP, Partner, Appellate Law 2003-2024 Hogan Dubose and Townsend LLP 1997-2003 Presented oral argument 31 times to the Texas Supreme Court, and to every appellate court except the new 15th Court of Appeals | |
| Jury Trial Experience | On a court that recently heard only 20 oral arguments during one entire fiscal year, Justice Gunn has increased the number of arguments dramatically: In his first 12 months in office, the court heard oral arguments in 50 appeals. Justice Gunn was responsible for more than a quarter of those despite being only one-ninth of the court. | ||
| Appellate Judicial Experience | Justice, 1st Court of Appeals (2024-present) | ||
| Other Judicial Experience | Justice, 1st Court of Appeals, Place 7 2019-2024 | Zoning Board of Adjustment, City of Hilshire Village (2008-2012) | |
| Board Certifications | Civil Appellate Law | ||
| Courts Admitted | Texas Southern District Court | US Supreme Court Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit Texas Southern District/Bankruptcy Court | |
| Honors and Awards | Appellate Judge of the Year, Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists, 2022 | Go-To Lawyer - 2012 (Appellate Law), Texas Lawyer
| |
| Prior Elections | |||
| Most Recent Bar Polls | 2026 - 529 54% | 2026 - 446 46% | |
| Key Endorsements (Max 5) | None listed | Texas Civil Justice League PAC | |
| Judicial Philosophy (Max 250 words) | First, a judge’s main goals should be to rule correctly, evenhandedly, and efficiently. This means interpreting laws and legal documents based on the written words, not on what somebody else might think would have been a better idea. It means leaving legislation to the people’s representatives—just as a good referee leaves the game to the athletes and tries not to become the star of the show. Second, the process matters. Judges need to remember the importance of having a day in court, whatever the outcome. People who go to court want to be heard. People who end up in court know that success isn’t guaranteed; they will accept the outcome more readily if they feel that they got to be heard. | ||
| Misc | currently co-chairs the Law Library Committee for the HBA and in the past she co-chaired the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, the Professionalism Committee and the Civil Trial and Appellate Bench Bar Committee was a member of the National Association of Women Judges | Hillshire Village City Council, 2012-2019 | |
| Date Submitted by Candidate | Compiled from public sources | Compiled from public sources |
