Rotate phone sideways to see all candidates
| Court & Place | Democrat | Republican | Notes/Other |
|---|---|---|---|
Darlene Byrne* (D-Austin) | Cory Liu (R-Austin) | Candidate (L) | |
| Campaign Mailing Address | Darlene Byrne Campaign P.O. Box 301074 Austin, TX 78703 | | |
| Campaign Phone | |||
| Campaign Website | justicedarlenebyrne.com | www.coryfortexas.com | |
| Social Media Links | twitter | twitter | |
| Bar Card Number | 06395050 | 24098003 | |
| Current Occupation | Chief Justice, 3rd Court of Appeals since 2020 | Judge, 250th District Court | |
| Years of Texas Residency | Native Texan | ||
| JD School & Year | University of Houston 1987 | Harvard Law School | |
| Other Education | University of Chicago Political Science and Philosophy | ||
| Year of State Bar Licensure | 1987 | 2015 | |
| Legal Experience - Nonjudicial | General Counsel's Office, Office of the Governor - Jimmy Blacklock Law Clerk - Texas Supreme Court Texas Solicitor General's Office | ||
| Jury Trial Experience | |||
| Appellate Judicial Experience | Chief Justice, 3rd Court of Appeals since 2020 | ||
| Other Judicial Experience | Presiding Judge, 126th Judicial District Court - 20 years | Judge, 250th District Court | |
| Board Certifications | Judicial Administration 2025 | ||
| Courts Admitted | Texas Western District Court | ||
| Honors and Awards | Texas Judge of the Year, Texas ABOTA 2023 Past President of National Council for Juvenile and Family Court Judges Judge of the Year, National Court Appointed Special Advocates, Texas CASA, and CASA of Travis County | ||
| Prior Elections | |||
| Most Recent Bar Polls | 2026 - 536 79% | 2026 - 146 21% | |
| Key Endorsements (Max 5) | |||
| Judicial Philosophy (Max 250 words) | After serving as a trial judge for many children and families in Travis County who find themselves involved in the child welfare court, juvenile justice court or family court, Justice Byrne understands the urgency of justice when dealing with the lives of real people who find themselves in court. As the Chief Justice of the Third Court of Appeals that presides over both civil and criminal cases, Justice Byrne understands that same urgency for those needing answers to their appeals, especially if their freedom has been impacted by the court system. Therefore, time is of the essence when making decisions that impact the lives of real Texans. Justice Byrne has taken that sense of urgency with her to the Appellate Court, so the people’s lives do not languish with delayed justice through delayed decision making. | ||
| Misc | Editor-in-Chief, Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy | ||
| Date Submitted by Candidate | Gathered from public sources | Gathered from public sources |
