Maggie Ellis is the Democratic candidate for Texas Supreme Court chief justice in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. Republican Jimmy Blacklock is her opponent on the Texas secretary of state’s certified ballot.
Experience and education
According to her official court biography, Ellis was elected to the Third Court of Appeals in 2024. She previously worked in private practice, as a Travis County prosecutor and as an administrative law judge at the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
She is board certified in juvenile law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and certified in child welfare law by the National Association of Counsel for Children. Her degrees include an associate degree in Spanish from Austin Community College, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from Baylor Law School.
The biography describes pro bono work with legal-aid organizations and service on child welfare and juvenile law groups. Ellis has chaired the State Bar Juvenile Law Section Board and received the Hays County Bar Association’s Pro Bono Hero award.
Responses are based on public data and answers to a Surround Sound Media questionnaire if they were provided.
