Governor Abbott has made history by appointing the first three judges of Texas' brand new statewide Fifteenth Court of Appeals. This new court of appeals will hear lawsuits against the state, which used to be handled by judges elected in Austin.
Professor Josh Blackman with the South Texas College of Law told KTRH, "The judges on this new court will be elected statewide, so you'll probably have more conservative judges hearing appeals against the state government and their various departments."
Blackman says this will give statewide voters more control over Texas law since they pick the judges that will be deciding statewide issues. He also said this adds another layer of review before cases make it to the Texas Supreme Court.
Judges Scott Brister, Scott Field, and April Farris, who where appointed by Governor Abbott, will serve until 2026. After 2026 those seats will be filled via elections.