Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed Kyle Hawkins as Justice, Place 7, on the Supreme Court of Texas. Hawkins formerly served as solicitor general of Texas from September 2018 to February 2021.
The appointment takes effect immediately.
The seat was previously held by Justice Jeffrey Boyd, who retired in September. Boyd’s term was set to expire on December 31, 2026. Hawkins will take his place until that date.
Under the Texas Constitution, the governor has the authority to fill vacancies in elected state offices, including judicial ones, by appointment. The appointee serves immediately and continues in office until the next General Election, when voters decide whether to elect that person to a full term, if the appointee seeks reelection.
If the Senate is in session, this must be done with the advice and consent of two-thirds of senators present. If the Senate is in recess, the appointment takes effect immediately as a recess appointment—but the governor must submit the nomination within the first 10 days of the Senate’s next session. Senators then have the authority to confirm or reject the appointee.
“Kyle Hawkins is a proven defender of both the U.S. and Texas Constitutions,” said Gov. Abbott. “Most recently, as a lawyer for President Trump’s Department of Justice, he fought for the freedom of states like Texas to administer Medicaid programs consistent with pro-life values.”
Justice Hawkins has an extensive resume beyond his time serving as Texas’ solicitor general.
A Minnesota native, Hawkins graduated from Harvard College in 2002 and earned his law degree from the University of Minnesota Law School in 2009. After graduation, he clerked for Chief Judge Edith H. Jones of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit from 2010 to 2011 and later for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. from 2013 to 2014.
Between clerkships, Hawkins engaged in private practice, handling appellate and constitutional litigation in Washington, D.C., Dallas, and Houston.
His government service began in October 2017, when he became an assistant solicitor general under Attorney General Ken Paxton. Hawkins was promoted to Texas solicitor general in September 2018, where he served until February 2021, arguing major cases before both the U.S. and Texas Supreme Courts.
“As Texas Solicitor General, he litigated critical cases at the highest levels of the state and federal judiciary, from challenging the federal overreach of Obamacare to defending Texas’ election integrity measures,” said Gov. Abbott. “In private practice, he has handled complex civil disputes at the heart of our thriving economy.”
Hawkins took on a short-term post in early 2025 with the U.S. Department of Justice as counselor to the U.S. solicitor general in Washington, D.C.
He has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas School of Law since 2022, teaching seminars on constitutional law and oral advocacy to aspiring litigators.
“Hawkins’ tremendous experience will be an asset to the highest court in Texas as he remains steadfast in his dedication to the rule of law and the preservation of the liberties granted by God and enshrined by our founders,” Abbott concluded.
For Texas’ legal community, the move marks the ascension of another former solicitor general to the state’s highest bench—a familiar pattern in a court known for elevating the state’s most formidable appellate advocates.
If you or anyone you know has information regarding court cases, please contact our tip line: scorecardtips@protonmail.com.
No ads. No paywalls. No government grants. No corporate masters.
Just real news for real Texans.
Support Texas Scorecard to keep it that way!
