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. Kyle Hawkins, a Republican, is also running for the seat.

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 … 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: "No," Hawkins said.

Experience and public service

Hawkins is the judge of the 11th District Court in Harris County. She 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 …"

She added: "I have also been appointed by a statewide panel to preside over complex multi-district litigation cases."

Hawkins became the first woman elected to the 11th District Court in Harris County, winning a close general election in 2016, according to The Austin Chronicle. She led the Harris County Board of District Judges' COVID Response Task Force during the pandemic, according to the same report.

On the issues

What are the critical differences between you and other candidates?

Hawkins said in our questionnaire: "I am one of 19 judges state-wide that is board certified in judicial administration … 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 …"

How would you describe your judicial philosophy?

Hawkins said: "The Constitution requires that every party who appears before the Court be treated equally under the law. It also guarantees a right to a trial by jury. 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."

Do you support Texas's system of partisan judicial elections?

Hawkins said: "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. One of the weaknesses of elections, however, is that it is expensive and difficult for state-wide judicial candidates to reach voters so that voters are adequately informed about the candidates."

What would you do to improve Texans' access to the civil courts?

Hawkins said: "To ensure that everyone has access to justice, the Court should select cases that are important to all Texans, not just the well-resourced … Additionally, 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 …"

Best advice ever shared with you:

Hawkins said: "Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good."