Editor’s note: To help readers learn more about primary candidates, The Texas Tribune is sharing background information on top candidates. In particularly crowded races, we focused on candidates with political experience or demonstrably competitive campaigns, using benchmarks such as fundraising, endorsements and online presence. For a full list of candidates, view our primary ballot page. For more information on the primaries and the voting process, check out our guides and news coverage here.
About this seat: The Court of Criminal Appeals is the state’s highest court for criminal cases. Besides appeals from lower courts, it also hears death penalty appeals directly from trial courts. In addition, it reviews habeas corpus petitions from anyone convicted of a state felony who wants to challenge the legality of their detention. The court includes one presiding judge and eight other judges, who are all elected statewide for six-year terms.
What’s at stake: The Court of Criminal Appeals gets most of its attention for decisions on high-profile death penalty cases, including most recently blocking Robert Roberson’s execution and moving his case back to trial court. The court also has been in the spotlight in recent years over its rulings that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office can’t unilaterally prosecute election cases, which prompted Paxton to wage a successful campaign in 2024 to oust three Republican judges who disagreed with him. The court then decided early last year to rehear an election wrongdoing case that it had previously thrown out. Overall, the nine-person panel has long been dominated by Republicans and there are currently no Democratic judges. This year, three seats are up for grabs. Only the Republican primaries for Place 3 and Place 9 have more than one candidate.
Place 3
Alison Fox
Republican
💰 Campaign finance:
- $20,485 cash on hand
💰 Major donors this cycle:
- Patty Fox, retired – $61,557.76, including in-kind donations
- Susan Dahlberg, not employed – $10,000
- The Reelect David Newell for Judge Campaign, affiliated with CCA Place 9 Judge David Newell but he is not running for reelection – $4,000.
Experience:
- Staff attorney at the Courts of Criminal Appeals, including previous role in the court’s writs of habeas corpus division
- Former director of the conviction integrity unit in Bexar County District Attorney’s Office
- Former prosecutor in the Bexar County District Attorney’s office
- Former criminal appeals attorney in private practice
Political Ideology:
Fox is a Republican who says she’s running to defend the Constitution and protect the rule of law. An active member of the Catholic Church, she also says that “faith and justice go hand in hand — that our legal system is strongest when it reflects the moral truths rooted in Scripture.”
Endorsements:
- Mark Lee Dickson, anti-abortion activist
- Texas Right to Life PAC
- Dallas Morning News Editorial Board and Houston Chronicle Editorial Board
In the news:
- Editorial: We recommend in the Republican primary for Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3 (2026)
- Editorial: Alison Fox and Jennifer Balido for Court of Criminal Appeals Republican primary | Endorsement (2026)
Lesli Fitzpatrick
Republican
💰 Campaign finance:
- $6,578 cash on hand
💰 Major donors this cycle:
- James Fitzpatrick, engineer – $6,369.34, including in-kind donations
- Lavonne Frazier, retired – $1,860, including in-kind donation
- Sue Devillez, retired – $1,750 in in-kind donations
Experience:
- Director of special litigation for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Office of General Counsel
- Former staff attorney for the Texas State Senate in the Office of Engrossing and Enrolling
- Former staff attorney of the Texas General Land Office
- Worked as both criminal prosecutor and defense attorney
- Ran for the Texas Third District Court of Appeals, Place 4 in 2022, but lost in the general election.
- Had an unsuccessful run in the Republican primary for Williamson County Court-at-Law No. 2 judge in 2016.
Political Ideology:
Fitzpatrick is a Republican who says she has a conservative judicial philosophy and rejects judicial activism, adding that “courts should not expand or invent rights beyond those clearly established in the Constitution or statute.”
Endorsements:
- State Sen. Pete Flores and several other Republican state lawmakers
- Texas Municipal Police Association as well as several other law enforcement officials and groups
- Young Conservatives of Texas
Thomas Smith
Republican
💰 Campaign finance:
- $8,244 cash on hand
💰 Major donors this cycle:
- David Gabbay, real estate – $5,000
- Maya Gabbay, real estate – $5,000
- Kenneth Clark, banking – $5,000
Experience:
- Assistant attorney general in the Texas Attorney General’s Office
- Former counsel for Ken Paxton when he was a state senator
- Former counsel in private practice
Political Ideology:
Smith is a Republican who says he’s running to keep “women and children safe in an increasingly dangerous culture.” He has also strongly touted his work with Attorney General Ken Paxton and the state Legislature, including on issues such as human trafficking and sanctuary city ban.
Endorsements:
- State Sen. Angela Paxton and several other Republican state lawmakers
- Republican Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare
- True Texas Project
Brent Coffee
Republican
💰 Campaign finance:
- $608 cash on hand
💰 Major donors this cycle:
- Karan Clark, retired – $5,000
- Kenda Coffee, retired – $2,000
- Sam Coffee, retired – $2,000
Experience:
- Assistant attorney general in the Texas Attorney General’s Office
- Former prosecutor in the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office
- Former criminal defense attorney in private practice
Political Ideology:
Coffee attended the Ave Maria School of Law, which embraces a conservative Catholic orientation. He also says his approach to the legal system is influenced by conservative jurists like former Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.
Okey Anyiam
Democrat
💰 Campaign finance:
- No cash on hand
💰 Major donors this cycle:
- Brandy Voss, attorney – $131
Experience:
- Criminal defense attorney in private practice
Political Ideology:
- Anyiam is a Democrat who says he wants to “uphold the law without legislating from the bench, and apply the legislative intent unless it’s ambiguous.” He is married to Judge Chika Anyiam, who currently presides over Criminal District Court No. 7 in Dallas County and unsuccessfully ran as a Democrat for a seat on the Court of Criminal Appeals in 2024.
Endorsements:
- Liberal Austin Democrats
- Austin Young Democrats
- State Tejano Democrats
Place 4
Kevin Yeary
Republican, incumbent
💰 Campaign finance:
- $2,444 cash on hand
💰 Major donors this cycle:
- Scott Retzloff, real estate and tax – $2,500
- Butler Snow LLP, wide-ranging law firm – $1,000
- Ruth Chambers, retired – $1,000
Experience:
- Serves on the Court of Criminal Appeals for more than a decade, after being first elected in 2014.
- Former appellate prosecutor for Dallas, Harris and Bexar counties
- Former defense attorney in private practice
- Former law clerk to a Texas Court of Criminal Appeal judge
Political Ideology:
Yeary is a Republican who says judges should avoid policy-making from the bench. He was the only judge out of the nine-person panel to vote against the 2021 ruling that says the Texas attorney general’s office can’t unilaterally prosecute election cases. He was also one of three judges to disagree with the court’s decision to block Robert Roberson’s execution based on the exoneration in another shaken baby case.
Endorsements:
- Gov. Greg Abbott
- Texas Alliance for Life PAC
- Various members of the State Republican Executive Committee
In the news:
- How Texas’ criminal court judges ruled on Robert Roberson’s stay of execution (2025)
- Ken Paxton successfully ousts three Republican criminal appeal court judges (2024)
Audra Riley
Democrat
💰 Campaign finance:
- $478 cash on hand
💰 Major donors this cycle:
- None reported
Experience:
- Currently presides over Criminal District Court No. 3 in Dallas County, after first being elected to the judge role in 2020.
- Former prosecutor in the Dallas County district attorney’s office
- Former criminal defense attorney in private practice
Political Ideology:
Riley is running as a Democrat. When she ran for reelection to the Criminal District Court No. 3’s judge role in 2024, she said she wanted to continue bringing “justice, integrity, and a strong work ethic to the bench.”
Endorsements:
- Liberal Austin Democrats
- Austin Young Democrats
- State Tejano Democrats
In the news:
- Dallas Man Exonerated, Released From Prison 25 Years After Wrongful Murder Conviction (2025)
- ICE agents now entering Dallas County probation offices to make arrests (2025)
Place 9
John Messinger
Republican
💰 Campaign finance:
- $6,472 cash on hand
💰 Major donors this cycle:
- Steve Ledwell, equipment manufacturer – $5,000
- Giselle Horton, retired – $1,041
- Elyn Savage, executive assistant – $1,000
Experience:
- Assistant state prosecuting attorney, representing the state in front of the Court of Criminal Appeals and immediate appellate courts
- Worked in the McLennan County District Attorney’s office, handling direct appeals, protective orders and other civil matters
- Ran for the Texas Third District Court of Appeals, Place 2 in 2024, but narrowly lost in the general election
Political Ideology:
- Messinger is a Republican who says improvement to the justice system “doesn’t come from judges doing whatever they think is right in their own eyes” but from “enforcing the laws as written to find out what works and what doesn’t.” He also criticizes the Court of Criminal Appeals for issuing rulings that “ignore or conflict” with its own decisions and/or applicable law, as well as the average length it takes for the panel to review a lower court’s decision.
Endorsements:
- True Texas Project
- Young Conservatives of Texas
- Various members of the State Republican Executive Committee
Jennifer Balido
Republican
💰 Campaign finance:
- $24,696 cash on hand
💰 Major donors this cycle:
- Mark Gilbert, attorney – $5,000
- Brent Goudarzi, attorney – $5,000
- Shelly Folks, court reporter service – $5,000
Experience:
- Currently presides over Criminal District Court No. 1 in Dallas County, after Gov. Greg Abbott appointed her to fill the vacant seat last year
- Former chief of the appellate division in the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office
- Former public criminal defense attorney
- Former Gov. Rick Perry appointed Balido as judge in 203rd District Court in Dallas County in 2009 to fill a vacant seat, but she narrowly lost the election for a full term the following year
- Perry also appointed her as judge in the 291st District Court in Dallas County in 2013, but she lost the 2014 general election for a full term
Political Ideology:
Balido is a Republican who says she’s running to “ensure Texans have a judge with proven courtroom experience that can always ensure justice is fairly served” and with “unwavering respect for the Constitution.”
Endorsements:
- Gov. Greg Abbott
- Texas Municipal Police Association and several other law enforcement groups
- Dallas Morning News Editorial Board and Houston Chronicle Editorial Board
In the news:
- Editorial: We recommend in the Republican primary for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 9 (2026)
- Editorial: Alison Fox and Jennifer Balido for Court of Criminal Appeals Republican primary | Endorsement (2026)
- Abbott appoints Dallas County prosecutor, 2-time judge to criminal district court seat (2025)
Holly Taylor
Democrat
💰 Campaign finance:
- $11,584 cash on hand
💰 Major donors this cycle:
- Francis Adair, retired – $5,000
- Randall Sarosdy, attorney – $2,500
- Sharon Taylor, not employed – $2,500
Experience:
- Criminal and civil appeals attorney in private practice
- Former director of the division of public integrity and complex crimes for the Travis County District Attorney’s office
- Former rules attorney for the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
- Ran for the Court of Criminal Appeals’ presiding judge role in 2024, but lost in the general election
Political Ideology:
Taylor is a Democrat who says she will “bring an independent voice” to the Court of Criminal Appeals. She also says she’s “passionate about upholding the Constitution and the Rule of Law, and treating everyone with dignity and humanity.”
In the news:
- ‘Experts were wrong’: Carmen Mejia falsely convicted of infanticide, judge says (2025)
- Man incarcerated for over 20 years released on bond after Travis County DA’s office finds trial was unfair (2024)
- After Roberson ruling, upcoming Court of Criminal Appeals election in the spotlight (2024)
- Travis County DA wants to overturn Abbott’s pardon of convicted murderer (2024)
Endorsements:
- Texas AFL-CIO
- State Tejano Democrats
- Liberal Austin Democrats and several other local or young Democrat groups
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