Blacklock replaces Nathan Hecht, the longest serving justice on the high court. Gov. Greg Abbott also appointed his general counsel, James Sullivan, to the bench.

Blacklock is replacing retired Chief Justice Nathan Hecht, while Abbott's legal adviser James Sullivan takes the open spot on the bench.

Abbott originally appointed Blacklock to the high court as the Place 2 justice in 2018. Abbott's general counsel James Sullivan will replace Blacklock as a new justice.

Governor Abbott appoints Jimmy Blacklock as Chief Justice and James P. Sullivan as Justice of the Texas Supreme Court.

Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Texas Supreme Court Justice Jimmy Blacklock to be the court’s chief justice and named James Sullivan as a justice Monday. Blacklock succeeds Nathan Hecht, the state’s longest-serving Supreme Court justice,

Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Justice Jimmy Blacklock as the new chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, succeeding Nathan Hecht.

Chief Justice Nathan Hecht, raised a farmer, didn’t expect to be a lawyer, let alone a member of the state’s highest civil court.