← Back to your ballotState · November 3, 2026 General Election
Chief Justice, 15th Court of Appeals
6-year term
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.
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On the ballot
| What we compare | Scott Brister | Jerry Zimmerer |
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| Now | Chief Justice, Fifteenth Court of Appeals (appointed by Governor Abbott, effective September 1, 2024)Texas Judicial Branch – 15th Court of Appeals ↗ | — |
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| 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 ↗ | — |
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| 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 ↗ |
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| 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. |
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| 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 ↗ | — |
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| Full profile | | |
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- 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 ↗
- 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 ↗
- Full profile
- Now
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- Before
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- Their words
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- Full profile
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. We searched the same 4 official registries for every candidate in this race on 28 July 2026 and found no adverse findings for any of them.
Swipe the table sideways to see every candidate →
Same rows for every candidate, listed alphabetically by surname — not the order they appear on the ballot, and never by party. A dash means we hold nothing for that line, not that the answer is zero.
Both nominees were unopposed in the March 3, 2026 primaries, so they are their parties' nominees with certainty. We have not confirmed which candidate currently holds this seat, so no one is marked as the incumbent. Minor-party and independent candidates are not yet confirmed against the certified ballot.
Cite this: https://plaindocket.com/ballot/race/court-chief-justice-15th-court-of-appeals-2026 — data from official records via PlainDocket.