First Court of Appeals

The First Court of Appeals is the oldest intermediate appellate court in Texas (along with the Fort Worth and Austin courts). The First Court of Appeals was established in 1892 and is located in the historical 1910 Courthouse in downtown Houston. The Court has appellate jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases from district and county courts in the ten counties that it serves; except for cases where the death penalty is imposed. The Court also has jurisdiction over original appellate proceedings seeking extraordinary relief—such as a writ of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, injunction, or quo warranto. The First Court of Appeals is composed of a Chief Justice and eight Justices. All of the Justices are elected to six-year terms. When a vacancy occurs, the governor may appoint a new Justice (subject to Senate confirmation) to serve the remainder of an unexpired term until the next general election. Justices must be at least 35 years old, a citizen of Texas, licensed to practice law in Texas, and have practiced law in Texas for at least ten years.