Kristen Hawkins, a Democrat and judge of the 11th District Court in Harris County, is running for Texas Supreme Court Justice, Place 7, in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. She faces Republican Kyle Hawkins.

Asked why she is running, Hawkins said in our candidate questionnaire: "The governor has appointed seven of the nine current Supreme Court justices, and I am running give the voters an opportunity to elect a qualified, competent candidate with a decade of judicial experience. … I would bring an independent voice to the Supreme Court."

Candidate information

Party: Democrat

Education: Hawkins said in our questionnaire: "University of Texas at Austin - BA" and "South Texas College of Law - JD, magna cum laude."

Family: Hawkins said in our questionnaire: "My husband and I are native Texans and are the proud parents of two college-age children."

Family in politics or government: Hawkins said in our questionnaire: "No."

Experience and public service

Hawkins said in our questionnaire: "I have served as judge of the 11th District Court for nine years. Before that, I was appointed and served as one of the Harris County tax masters for five years. Prior to the bench, I practiced general civil litigation and represented individuals applying for Social Security disability. I am board certified in personal-injury law, civil-trial law, and judicial administration. As a trial-court judge, I have presided over more than 200 trials, and I make rulings applying Supreme Court decisions. In this role, I see how the opinions affect everyday Texans and their ability to access the courts. I have also been appointed by a statewide panel to preside over complex multi-district litigation cases."

Hawkins said in our questionnaire that she was first elected to the 11th District Court in 2016 and was reelected in 2020 and 2024. She became the first woman elected to that bench, according to the Austin Chronicle. She also led the Harris County Board of District Judges' COVID Response Task Force, the Austin Chronicle reported.

Hawkins said in our questionnaire: "In 2021, Tex-ABOTA recognized me as Judge of the Year." Tex-ABOTA is the Texas chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates.

On the issues

Differences from opponent: Hawkins said in our questionnaire: "I give the voters an opportunity to elect a qualified, competent candidate with a decade of judicial experience. As a trial judge for the past 10 years, I have interacted with lawyers, litigants, and juries. That experience has given me a perspective regarding the importance of our jury system that my opponent does not have."

Judicial philosophy: Hawkins said in our questionnaire: "My judicial philosophy is simple: to apply the law equally to everyone who appears before me, and to ensure that juries and their verdicts are respected. … My approach is to consider the language of the law, its intent at the time it was passed, and the most reasonable construction of the law. I consider myself a pragmatist who respects the law and stare decisis and believes consistency and predictability in the law is paramount."

Partisan elections for judges: Hawkins said in our questionnaire: "I do not support changing to an appointment system because an appointment system benefits political insiders and places too much power in a single individual or party. With elections, Texans have an opportunity to have their voices heard."

Access to civil courts: Hawkins said in our questionnaire: "To ensure that everyone has access to justice, the Court should select cases that are important to all Texans, not just the well-resourced. … By using its rulemaking authority, the Court can adopt rules that streamline access to justice for those who are under-resourced or without adequate representation, including pro-se litigants."

Campaign contributions: Hawkins said in our questionnaire: "Throughout my time on the trial-court bench, I have based my decisions on the facts and the law and not on politics or on campaign contributions. If elected to the Supreme Court, that would not change."

Best advice: Hawkins said in our questionnaire: "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good."