One local jurist is making a big move in the upcoming election cycle.
Justice Judy Parker filed this week to run for Chief Justice of the Seventh Court of Appeals. The court is the intermediate appellate court for an area covering most of the Texas Panhandle and West Texas, including both Amarillo and Lubbock. The Seventh Court of Appeals is made up of four justices, including one chief justice, who is the administrative head of the court.
Parker currently serves as the Place 2 justice on the court — a position that she has held since 2017. Prior to being appointed to the bench by Gov. Greg Abbott, Parker had an extensive and accomplished career as both a trial judge and a practicing attorney in the Lubbock area. She is a graduate of Angelo State University and Texas Tech University School of Law.
The current chief justice on the court, Justice Brian Quinn, is up for re-election this cycle. He has not filed for re-election, as of this writing.
The primary election for this office will be held in March 2026.