State · November 3, 2026 General Election
Reviews decisions made by trial courts to decide whether the law was applied correctly. It does not hold new trials.
What this office does
Texas has 15 courts of appeals with intermediate appellate jurisdiction. The First through Fourteenth courts hear appeals in both civil and criminal cases from district or county courts within their geographic districts; the Fifteenth handles statewide civil matters, including appeals involving state agencies and the Texas Business Court. Each court is led by a chief justice and has at least two other justices, with the number set by statute from three to 13. Appeals are usually heard by three-justice panels unless the full court sits together.
| What we compare | Scott Brister | Jerry Zimmerer |
|---|---|---|
| Now | Chief Justice, Fifteenth Court of Appeals (appointed by Governor Abbott, effective September 1, 2024)Texas Judicial Branch – 15th Court of Appeals ↗ | — |
| Before | Justice, Texas Supreme Court (2003–09); Justice and Chief Justice, First and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals in Houston (2001–03); Presiding Judge, 234th District Court, Harris County (1989–2000)Texas Judicial Branch – 15th Court of Appeals ↗ | — |
| Work | Attorney (licensed in Texas since 11/24/1980); practice areas: Commercial Litigation, Civil Appellate; partner at Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP prior to returning to the bench in 2024Texas Judicial Branch – 15th Court of Appeals ↗ | Attorney (eligible to practice in Texas; primary practice location Houston, Texas; practice areas include Business, Technology, Consumer, Health Care, International, Wills-Trusts-Probate, Appellate: Civil)State Bar of Texas – Find A Lawyer profile for Gerald L. 'Jerry' Zimmerer ↗ |
| Money | Figures under reviewIn Texas a candidate can raise money through their own campaign account and, separately, through a committee formed to support them. We hold the first for this race but not yet the second, so a total here would understate someone. We’re reading the committee filings before publishing any figure. Texas Ethics Commission — local filing authorities ↗ | |
| Their words | “I returned to the bench because I believe in the work Texas courts do. Fairness, clarity, and fidelity to the law. That's what Texans deserve, and that's what I'm here to deliver.”justicescottbrister.com – Homepage — self-reported ↗ | No published platform we could quote |
| Records check | 4 official registries searched for every candidate in this race on 28 July 2026 — nothing found. Texas Legislature (impeachment records) · Texas Ethics Commission (final orders) · State Bar of Texas (attorney discipline) · Texas State Securities Board (enforcement orders). | |
| Full profile → | Full profile → | |
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