Kristen Hawkins, a Democrat, is running for Texas Supreme Court Justice Place 7 in the Nov. 3 general election. She faces Republican Kyle Hawkins.

Kristen Hawkins is the judge of the 11th District Court in Harris County. Asked why she is running, she 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."

She added: "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" and "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."

Experience and public service

Asked about her work history, Hawkins 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."

She continued: "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: "In this role, I see how the opinions affect everyday Texans and their ability to access the courts. I have also been appointed by a statewide panel to preside over complex multi-district litigation cases."

Asked about previous elected office, Hawkins said: "I am the judge of the 11th District Court, Harris County, Texas. I was first elected in 2016 and was reelected in 2020 and 2024."

Hawkins led the Harris County Board of District Judges' COVID Response Task Force during the pandemic, according to The Austin Chronicle.

On the issues

Critical differences from other candidates: Hawkins said in our questionnaire: "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."

She added: "That experience has given me a perspective regarding the importance of our jury system that my opponent does not have. I offer the voters of the State of Texas an opportunity to make a positive change to a Supreme Court in which seven of the nine justices have been selected and appointed by the governor."

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."

She added: "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."

She described herself as "a pragmatist who respects the law and stare decisis and believes consistency and predictability in the law is paramount."

Partisan elections for judges: 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."

She added: "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."

Campaign contributions: Hawkins said: "Throughout my time on the trial-court bench, I have based my decisions on the facts and the law and not on politics or on campaign contributions. If elected to the Supreme Court, that would not change."

The general election is Nov. 3.