1. Texas Courts

2. Clint’s Review Session
Thursday, April 5
5:00 - 6:20
Room 222 Wooten Hall

3. Administrative Matters
Exam on Friday
Bring #2 pencil!!!
Next week
Friday 13th, in-class film
Reading for the 13th moved to Monday 16th

4. Organization of Texas Courts
Complex, decentralized
Why?
“Supreme Courts”
Supreme Court
Court of Criminal Appeals

5. Judicial Selection Municipal Judges Everyone else Terms
Most appointed by city governing body
Everyone else
Partisan elections
Terms
Municipal – 2 years
All other trial courts – 4 years
Appellate courts – 6 years

6. Accountability v. Independence

7. Demographics of Texas Courts
All Judges 315
Sup.
Court 9
Crim. Appeal9
Appeal80
State Dist/ 420
County 226
Const. Coun. 254
J.O.P. Courts 832
Muni. Courts 1321)
Gender
Male (%)
72.4
77.8
55.6
59.5
73.9
71.2
90.9
69.4
69.7
Female (%)
27.6
22.2
44.4
40.5
26.1
28.8
9.1
30.6
30.3
Race/Ethnicity
African American (%)
2.6
0.0
2.5
3.2
0.4
3.3
2.2
Native American (%)
1.3
0.5
0.2
0.6
Asian/Pacific Islander (%)
0.3
Hispanic/Latino (%)
12.9
15.2
12.0
17.4
7.6
15.4
11.9
White, Non-Hispanic (%)
83.3
100.0
79.7
83.1
78.9
90.6
80.9
84.7
Average Age 55 50 60 57 52 54 58

8. Filling Vacancies Governor appoints Advice and consent of state senate
Senatorial courtesy