Who is running for Chief Justice, 4th Court of Appeals District in 2026?

Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

Bert Richardson is a judge on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, where he has served since 2015, and was earlier judge of the 379th District Court in Bexar County¹. He is the Republican nominee for Chief Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals³; the seat has no incumbent because Chief Justice Rebecca Martinez is not seeking reelection².

• Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, since 2015; he is retiring from that seat and not seeking reelection to it¹²
• Judge, 379th District Court (Bexar County), appointed in 1999 and serving for nearly a decade; senior visiting judge from 2009 to 2014¹
• Bexar County assistant district attorney and assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas, 1988 to 1999; board certified in criminal law; JD, St. Mary's University School of Law¹
• In his questionnaire he says Gov. George W. Bush appointed him to the 379th District Court in 1999, and that he was elected statewide to the Court of Criminal Appeals as a Republican in 2014 and 2020¹. The Fourth Court of Appeals chief justice seat is an open race with no incumbent¹.

Judge, 57th Civil District Court (Bexar County)

Antonia Arteaga is judge of the 57th Civil District Court in Bexar County, elected in 2008, and she describes herself as the longest-serving judge at the Bexar County Courthouse¹². She won the Democratic nomination for Chief Justice of the Fourth Court of Appeals over Justice Velia Meza, 51 percent to 49 percent³.

• Judge, 57th Civil District Court (Bexar County), elected in 2008, presiding over civil cases¹²
• Practiced criminal and civil law before taking the bench, with a family law concentration, and says she tried more than 70 jury trials to verdict; twice appointed a criminal magistrate judge by San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger¹
• President of the Texas Association of District Judges; JD, St. Mary's University School of Law¹
• First elected to the 57th District Court in 2008¹. She won the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary for chief justice, an open seat with no incumbent³.