Justice, Supreme Court of Texas, Place 8
6-year termIncumbent Brett Busby was appointed in 2019 and elected in 2020. The 2026 race is a rematch of the 2020 Place 8 general election. No third-party or write-in candidates appear on the SOS statewide sample ballot or Harris County sample ballot for this seat.Partially researched. Last researched Oct 20, 2026Report a correction
Texas judicial ethics rules limit what judicial candidates may say about issues that could come before them, so this page compares qualifications instead of positions.
RepublicanIncumbent
Democratic
Current position
Justice, Supreme Court of Texas, Place 8
Justice, Third Court of Appeals
Years licensed
Not stated in available records.
Not stated in available records.
Board certification
Civil Appellate Law
Not stated in available records.
Law school
Columbia Law School
University of Texas School of Law (1988)
Prior judicial service
Justice, Supreme Court of Texas (2019-present); Justice, Fourteenth Court of Appeals (2012-2018)
Justice, Third Court of Appeals (2019-present); Judge, 200th District Court; Judge, Travis County Court at Law; Judge, City of Austin Municipal Court; Travis County Justice of the Peace
Practice areas
Appellate litigation
Criminal law; Family law
Bar association poll
State Bar of Texas 2026 Judicial Poll (conducted before March 2026 primaries; vote counts among all candidates then running): 1,913 of 3,902 votes (49.0%)
State Bar of Texas 2026 Judicial Poll (conducted before March 2026 primaries; vote counts among all candidates then running): 1,989 of 3,902 votes (51.0%)
Qualification 1 of 7
Current position
RepublicanIncumbent
Justice, Supreme Court of Texas, Place 8
Democratic
Justice, Third Court of Appeals
Sources for this contest (4)
- 2026 General Election Sample Ballot (statewide template), Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved Oct 20, 2026.
- General and Special Elections sample ballot, November 3, 2026, Harris County Clerk / HarrisVotes. Retrieved Oct 20, 2026.
- Texas Supreme Court, Ballotpedia. Retrieved Oct 20, 2026.
- Texas Supreme Court 2026 election: Who is running and what to know, The Texas Tribune (via KSAT). Retrieved Oct 20, 2026.