Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock was first appointed to the Supreme Court of Texas in January 2018 by Governor Greg Abbott. Justice Blacklock was elected by the public following his appointment and re-elected in 2024. Governor Abbott then appointed him to serve as the Court’s 28th Chief Justice in January 2025.

Before joining the Court, Chief Justice Blacklock served as Governor Abbott’s General Counsel and in the Attorney General’s Office under then-AG Abbott. While at the AG’s Office, he handled appeals and trials of constitutional cases in state and federal court involving matters such as federalism, religious liberty, and the separation of powers.

As Deputy Attorney General for Legal Counsel, he oversaw the Open Records and Opinions divisions of the AG’s Office. Earlier in his career, Chief Justice Blacklock was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and he worked in private practice in Houston and Austin. He clerked for Judge Jerry Smith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit after graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas and a J.D. from Yale Law School.

Chief Justice Blacklock was born in Houston and now lives in Austin with his wife and three daughters.