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Statewide Courts
- Dec 30, 2025
- 7 min read
Updated: Jan 5
Table of Contents
Chief Justice - Cory L. Carlyle, Maggie Ellis
Justice, Place 2, unexpired term - Chari Kelly
Justice, Place 7 - Gordon Goodman, Kristen Hawkins
Justice, Place 8 - Gisela D. Triana
Judge, Place 3 - Okey Anyiam
Judge, Place 4 - Audra Riley
Judge, Place 9 - Holly Taylor
Intermediate Appellate Courts:
Chief Justice, 15th Court of Appeals District - Jerry Zimmerer
Justice, Place 2 - Tom Baker
Justice, Place 3 - Marc M. Meyer
Disclaimer: The information below summarizes publicly available information. Some candidates have very limited information on their campaign websites, while some have no website at all. Any information we could find will be included here, but be advised that the format may not be consistent across candidates.
Texas Supreme Court
Chief Justice:
Cory L. Carlyle:
Relevant Experience
Justice Cory Carlyle continues a career in appellate law and public service after a successful term at the Dallas Court of Appeals, including becoming Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Judicial Philosophy
His judicial philosophy is as follows: stare decisis is the fabric of the appellate judiciary. The courts have no place taking sides on issues, ideas, or movements. Judges must remain studiously neutral. And when on the bench, they take the facts and apply the law as written to preserve the rule of law.
Maggie Ellis:
Judicial Philosophy
She believes that “in matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems, for issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same."
She knows that behind every case file is a life, a family — someone trying to hold on. Maggie brings fairness, seriousness, and humanity to every courtroom she enters.
Background
Maggie Ellis survived a childhood marked by poverty, constant moves, parent abandonment, homelessness, and interrupted schooling — and still became the only one of her eight siblings to graduate from college.
She spent sixteen years earning her first degree. After that, she spent time as a teacher at public school, became a foster mom, and helped families access justice long before she ever earned a law license.
When she decided to become a lawyer, she drove from Austin to Waco and back every day to get her law degree at Baylor while raising four teenagers.
Today, Maggie serves as a Justice on the Texas Third Court of Appeals. Her win made history: she became the first openly LGBTQ+ woman elected to a Texas appellate court.
Relevant Experience
She is Board Certified in Juvenile Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization — and a Certified Specialist in Child Welfare Law through the National Association of Counsel for Children.
Over more than fifteen years, Maggie has served as an administrative law judge, a prosecutor, and a trial attorney — representing families, children, business owners, and individuals facing civil, family, juvenile, and criminal court matters.
Maggie has volunteered with Meals on Wheels, Mobile Loaves & Fishes, Helping Hand Home, and she worked in public education through Leander ISD.
She’s also mentored youth, taught English and Spanish, supported families, and volunteered her legal skills through pro-bono clinics and child-welfare advocacy.
Maggie has been recognized and awarded for her work providing pro bono and volunteer legal services, including receiving the Hays County Bar Association's Pro Bono Hero award.
She has provided legal assistance and volunteered through Volunteer Legal Services, Hays County Pro Bono Clinic, Raices, Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, Travis County Child Welfare Board, the Supreme Court Children's Commission Child Welfare and Juvenile Law work groups, and she currently serves as Immediate Past Chair of the State Bar Juvenile Law Section Board.
Justice, Place 2, unexpired term:
Chari Kelly:
Background
Chari Kelly served in the United States Army as a Captain in the Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG).
She was certified to defend soldiers accused of capital crimes and was a paratrooper.
She later worked on behalf of the State of Texas suing pharmaceutical companies that had defrauded the Medicaid program, recovering millions of dollars on behalf of taxpayers, all the while teaching trial advocacy at the University of Texas School of Law.
She is a former president of the Austin Bar Association and of the Austin Young Lawyers Association.
She was named the 2023 Mentor of the Year at both the local and state level for her mentorship of young lawyers trying to find their way in the legal profession.
She was named a 2022 Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association Trailblazer for the work she has done throughout her career to advance opportunities for women in the legal profession.
She created and supported fundraisers for unhoused and low-income women in need of legal, social, and medical services.
Chari is a longtime member of the Robert W. Calvert American Inn of Court, which provides training and mentoring to attorneys of all ages.
She has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law for nearly 20 years.
Relevant Experience
Since being elected to the Texas 3rd Court of Appeals in 2018, Justice Kelly has been a committed defender of the Constitution—ensuring fair trials and upholding justice.
She has ruled on a diverse range of cases, including those related to COVID-19, environmental concerns, and criminal justice reform, among others.
Justice Kelly has earned a reputation for her impartial and just rulings and for fearlessly applying the rule of law.
She serves as a driving force for positive change and has paved the way for more Democratic women to rise to positions of leadership, both in the judiciary and in the communities served by the 3rd Court.
Justice, Place 7
Gordon Goodman
We could not find a dedicated campaign website for this candidate.
Kristen Hawkins:
Judicial Philosophy
As judge of the 11th District Court, she believe that civility, professionalism, and respect are fundamental values that should be upheld in the legal profession.
Background
She grew up in Houston
She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin and then graduated magna cum laude from South Texas College of Law.
Before her election to the bench, she gained extensive experience in civil litigation, including cases related to medical malpractice, premises liability, wrongful death, mass tort, construction, property tax, and Social Security disability.
Relevant Experience
She was elected as the judge of the 11th District Court in 2016 and re-elected in 2020.
Judge Hawkins is a jurist deeply rooted in her community, and she continuously strives to improve the legal profession while making a difference in the lives of those she serves.
She is double board certified in Civil Trial Law and Personal Injury Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
She has have chaired committees for the Harris County Board of District Judges, including the Jury Committee and COVID Response Task Force.
She was honored as the Tex-ABOTA Jurist of the Year in 2021.
She is active in the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association, and the Association of Women Attorneys.
She is a member of the College of the State Bar of Texas, the Texas Bar Foundation, the Houston Bar Foundation, and the Houston Young Lawyers Foundation.
She is also a member of the Texas Lyceum, an organization devoted to promoting civility and civil discourse. These values are at the core of her personal and professional beliefs.
Justice, Place 8
Gisela D. Triana
While this candidate does have a campaign website, it only consists of a donation form, and offers no other information.
Court of Criminal Appeals:
Judge, Place 3
Okey Anyiam:
We could not find a website for this candidate, so this information comes from a post on his Facebook Page.
Judicial Philosophy
To uphold the law without legislating from the bench, and apply the legislative intent unless it’s ambiguous
Experience
"In my 28 years of practicing Criminal Law representing thousands of individuals in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, I have enforced my clients’ due process rights in trials, dismissals, plea bargains, rehabilitation and diversion programs. I have been married to Judge Chika Anyiam for 33 years and have four adult children."
Goal
"With my extensive experience in trial court, I will work with other Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judges to hear more cases than it currently does, and in a timely manner. I will give guidance on important issues that are apparent on the record though not raised, so attorneys don’t have to wait several years for the court’s opinion on those issues in future appeals."
Judge, Place 4
Audra Riley:
We could not find a dedicated campaign website for this candidate.
Judge, Place 9
Holly Taylor:
Judicial Philosophy
Believes we must safeguard the independence, impartiality, and integrity of our Texas courts, ensuring that all who come before them are treated with respect and humanity.
"My judicial philosophy revolves around principles of impartiality, equitable treatment, and deference to our State and Federal Constitutions and the rule of law, underscoring my commitment to justice for all."
Background
She has authored articles on diverse criminal justice topics.
She has been an invited presenter at various legal education events, including the Robert O. Dawson Conference on Criminal Appeals and the Texas State Bar’s Advanced Criminal Law Course.
As the Assistant Director for Postconviction Matters and Complex Litigation Support, was a supervisor working with the Civil Rights Unit, Conviction Integrity Unit, and Appeals Team.
Led the Appeals Team and served as an attorney in the Public Integrity Unit.
Staff attorney and Rules Attorney for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Adjunct Professor at the University of Texas School of Law, teaching advanced legal writing.
Experience
Current Director of Public Integrity and Complex Crimes Division at the Travis County District Attorney’s Office
Supervisor of the Public Integrity Unit, White Collar Crime Unit, Appeals and Complex Litigation Support Team, Insurance Fraud Teams, Disclosures Unit, Open Records Unit, and Wage Theft Team.
Works closely with teams seeking to remedy wrongful convictions and address civil rights issues.
Board Certified in Criminal Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Member of the Texas Bar College and the Society of Legal Scholars.
Admitted to practice in the United States Supreme Court.
Co-chair of the Austin Bar Association’s CLE Committee, organizing monthly training events.
Goal:
To respect constitutional rights, create a supportive environment, and enhance court procedures for fair and efficient case resolution.
Intermediate Appellate Courts:
We could not find dedicated campaign websites for these candidates.
Chief Justice, 15th Court of Appeals District:
Jerry Zimmerer
Justice, 15th Court of Appeals District, Place 2
Tom Baker
Justice, 15th Court of Appeals District, Place 3
Marc M. Meyer
