5TH COURT OF APPEALS
Place 7 (Based in Dallas)
PARTY AFFILIATION
Republican
CURRENT OCCUPATION
Justice
5TH Court Of Appeals, Place 7
Appointed by Governor Perry 1-16-2015
Term expires 12-31-2016
UNDERGRAD SCHOOL/YEAR
B.A., Criminal Justice/Economics
State University of New York at Albany
1999
JURIS DOCTOR
Baylor School of Law – Valedictorian
1992
YEAR OF STATE BAR LICENSURE
1992
JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE – APPELLATE
- Justice, 5TH Court Of Appeals, Place 7 since 2015
- Law Clerk for Hon. Henry A. Politz
Chief Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals
5TH Circuit
JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE – OTHER
LEGAL EXPERIENCE – NONJUDICIAL
- Texas Deputy Attorney General for Legal Counsel (2010-2012): Chief Legal Counsel to then Attorney General Greg Abbott with direct responsibility over six divisions of that office: Opinions Committee, Public Finance Division, Open Records Division, Grants Administration Division, General Counsel Division, and Legal Technical Support Division
- Led the team defending the Legislature’s plans redistricting the State’s House, Senate and Congressional delegations
- Previously served on the adjunct staff of the Southern Methodist University School of Law
- Teaches Texas civil procedure at University of North Texas College of Law
- Dykema Cox Smith, partner in charge of National Spec. Lit. Group (2012-15)
- Jones Day, partner in charge of Dallas Issues & Appeals Group (2004-10)
ADMITTED
- US Supreme Court
- US Court of International Trade
- US Tax Court
- First Circuit Court of Appeals
- Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals
- Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals
- District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals
- District of Columbia District Court
- Texas Eastern District Court
- Texas Northern District Court
- Texas Southern District/Bankruptcy Court
- Texas Western District Court Courts Admitted to…
JUDICAL/LEGAL HONORS
- Texas Bar President’s Award
- Valedictorian Baylor Law School
- Texas Monthly “Superlawyers” — Appellate
- D Magazine Best Lawyers — Appellate
- “AV” rated Martindale Hubbell
PRIOR ELECTION RESULTS
SEAT, DATE, PERCENTAGE
BOARD CERTIFICATIONS
CIvil Appellate Law
MOST RECENT BAR POLL RESULTS
381 of 867
KEY ENDORSEMENTS
- Governor Greg Abbott
- Texans for Lawsuit Reform
- Texas State Rifle Association
- Former Supereme Court Justice Scott Brister
- Dallas Morning News
- Senator Don Huffines
- Senator Van Taylor
- Senator Bob Hall
- Representative Matt Rinaldi
- Former Representative Bennett Ratliff
- Candidate for the Texas House Dan Morenoff
- State Representative Jim Jackson
- Texas Civil Justice League PAC
- Texas Eagle Forum and Cathy Adams
- Texans for Fiscal Responsibility (Empower Texans)
- Dallas Bar Association Committee for a Qualified Judiciary
JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY
Conservative, constructionist. Judges should interpret the law as written, and not attempt to legislate from the bench.
INFORMATION APPROVED BY CANDIDATE ON
Preliminary data is gathered from public sources and has not yet been finally approved by the candidate.
*Information gathered from various public sources, and may not yet be approved by the candidate.
Please send any corrections to info@tcjl.com
