The Volokh Conspiracy
Mostly law professors | Sometimes contrarian | Often libertarian | Always independent
Hail to the Chief!
Texas welcomes Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock and Justice James P. Sullivan
It is a new era in Texas. Chief Justice Nathan Hecht stepped down in December after a distinguished career that spanned more than three decades. I would wager the parents of Hecht's final crop of clerks were not even in college when Hecht was appointed to SCOTX.
Today, Governor Abbott has elevated Justice Jimmy Blacklock to the Chief Justice Position.
Governor Abbott first appointed Justice Blacklock to the Court in 2018. Justice Blacklock was born in Houston and grew up in Missouri City, Texas, where he attended public school, graduating from Elkins High School. He then graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and from Yale Law School. Before joining the Court, Justice Blacklock served as Governor Abbott's general counsel and in the Attorney General's office, where he practiced appellate litigation among other duties. Justice Blacklock was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve in the U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division. He clerked for Judge Jerry Smith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and worked in private practice in Houston and Austin. He lives in Austin with his wife and their three daughters.
And Abbott nominated James P. Sullivan to fill Justice Blacklock's old seat.
Sullivan has served as the governor's General Counsel since 2021. He previously served as Assistant Solicitor General of Texas and Deputy General Counsel to the governor. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Rice University. A Harvard Law graduate, Sullivan was a law clerk to Judge Thomas B. Griffith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, has served as an adjunct professor at George Mason University, and has been an appellate litigator in private practice.
Congratulations to them both!
