Gov. Greg Abbott appointed former Texas Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins to the Texas Supreme Court, filling a vacancy left by a former justice in September, the governor's office announced Friday.
Hawkins will replace former Justice Jeff Boyd, who retired from the high court bench Sept. 1 after he announced he wouldn't seek a third term in 2026.
"Hawkins' tremendous experience will be an asset to the highest court in Texas as he remains steadfast in his dedication to the rule of law and the preservation of the liberties granted by God and enshrined by our founders," Abbott said in a press release.
As Texas Solicitor General, Hawkins was the lawyer responsible for the state's appellate litigation for two-and-a-half years under Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Hawkins drew national attention when he resigned from Paxton's office shortly after not signing onto the attorney general's lawsuit — backed by President Donald Trump — that unsuccessfully asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
The Texas AG's office didn't give a reason for Hawkins' resignation at the time but said he "fought for Texans' rights every step of the way."
Hawkins most recently served a three-month stint earlier this year as part of the U.S. Justice Department team that helped the federal Office of the Solicitor General transition into the Trump administration. According to his LinkedIn, Hawkins presented oral argument to the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of the United States, supervised litigation and worked on dozens of briefs.
Hawkins also served as a law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and an adjunct law professor at the University of Texas.
Hawkins' appointment means all but two justices on the court — Debra Lehrmann, who's a Gov. Rick Perry appointee, and John Devine, who was elected in 2012 — are Abbott appointees.
The governor made another major change to the high court earlier this year when he appointed sitting Justice Jimmy Blacklock as chief of the court and appointed Justice James Sullivan to fill Blacklock's vacancy. Both Blacklock and Sullivan had worked as Abbott's general counsel prior to joining the court.
The new appointment maintains the all-Republican makeup of the Texas Supreme Court. Hawkins will have to campaign for his seat when he's up for election in 2026, along with Blacklock, Sullivan and Justice Brett Busby.
Toluwani Osibamowo is KERA's law and justice reporter. Got a tip? Email Toluwani at tosibamowo@kera.org.
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