Who is running for Chief Justice, 14th Court of Appeals in 2026?

Attorney, Roberts Markland LLP (per State Bar profile); former justice, Texas First Court of Appeals

Sarah Beth Landau served as a justice on the Texas First Court of Appeals, Place 6, from 2019 until she lost reelection in November 2024¹. She earned a law degree from Columbia University in 1998, and her State Bar profile lists her in private practice with Roberts Markland LLP¹³. She is running for Chief Justice of the Texas Fourteenth Court of Appeals, an open seat, against Republican Kevin Jewell¹.

• Justice, Place 6, Texas First Court of Appeals, January 2019 to December 2024¹
• Attorney in private practice; State Bar profile lists Roberts Markland LLP, Houston³
• Bachelor's degree, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 1994; J.D., Columbia University, 1998; licensed in Texas since May 2002¹³
• Defeated incumbent Republican Harvey Brown for Place 6 of the First Court of Appeals in November 2018 and took office in January 2019¹. Lost reelection to Republican Andrew Johnson in the November 2024 general election, 52.8% to 47.2%, and left office December 31, 2024¹. Defeated Connie Gonzales in the Democratic primary for Fourteenth Court of Appeals Chief Justice on March 3, 2026, 54.5% to 45.5%, and faces Republican Kevin Jewell in the November 3, 2026 general election¹.
• Bar poll: State Bar of Texas 2026 Judicial Poll, final vote summary dated February 10, 2026, taken before the March 3, 2026 primaries. It is a non-binding preference poll of State Bar members, not an endorsement. 14th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice: Kevin Jewell 422 votes, Sarah Beth Landau 522 votes².

Justice, Place 2, Texas Fourteenth Court of Appeals

Kevin Jewell has served as a justice on the Texas Fourteenth Court of Appeals, Place 2, since January 2017, after winning election in 2016¹. He holds a law degree from the University of Houston and has been licensed in Texas since 1993³. He is running for Chief Justice of the same court, an open seat, against Democrat Sarah Beth Landau¹.

• Justice, Place 2, Texas Fourteenth Court of Appeals, since January 1, 2017; current Place 2 term runs through December 31, 2028¹
• Law degree, University of Houston; licensed in Texas since November 1993³
• Won the open Place 2 seat in 2016, defeating Bud Wiesedeppe in the Republican primary and Democrat Candance White in the November 2016 general election, 51.26% to 48.74%, after Justice Sharon McCally did not seek reelection¹. Reelected to Place 2 in November 2022, defeating Democrat Cheri Thomas¹. Advanced unopposed from the Republican primary for Chief Justice on March 3, 2026, and faces Democrat Sarah Beth Landau in the November 3, 2026 general election; there is no incumbent in the Chief Justice race¹.
• Bar poll: State Bar of Texas 2026 Judicial Poll, final vote summary dated February 10, 2026, taken before the March 3, 2026 primaries. It is a non-binding preference poll of State Bar members, not an endorsement. 14th Court of Appeals, Chief Justice: Kevin Jewell 422 votes, Sarah Beth Landau 522 votes².