Jimmy Blacklock


James Davis Blacklock is an American attorney and judge currently serving as an Associate Justice of the Texas Supreme Court.

Background

Blacklock was born in Missouri City, Texas, where he attended public school throughout his primary education. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. He then went to Yale Law School and clerked for Judge Jerry Edwin Smith of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Career

After clerking for Judge Smith, Blacklock was appointed to the Civil Rights Division within the United States Department of Justice by President George W. Bush. Before his tenure as a judge, Blacklock served as General Counsel to then Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and continued to serve Governor Abbott as general counsel until his appointment to the Texas Supreme Court on January 2, 2018.

Electoral history

Blacklock was up for election for the first time on November 6, 2018. He defeated Democratic challenger Steven Kirkland, a district court judge in Harris County, with 53.16% of the statewide votes. The statewide turnout in this race was 51.74%.

Personal life

Blacklock lives in Austin with his wife and their three daughters, where they are members of All Saints Presbyterian Church.