AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Texas Supreme Court Justice Jimmy Blacklock to be the court’s chief justice and named James Sullivan as a justice Monday.

Abbott originally appointed Blacklock to the high court as the Place 2 justice in 2018. Blacklock previously worked for Abbott as the governor's general counsel.

Blacklock replaces Nathan Hecht, the longest serving justice on the high court. Gov. Greg Abbott also appointed his general counsel, James Sullivan, to the bench.

Shortly after the death of former President Jimmy Carter on Sunday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott mistakenly wished his condolences to Carter’s late wife Rosalynn, who died in 2023.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) made an embarrassing flub with his statement that paid tribute to former President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at age 100. The Donald Trump-admiring Republican governor hailed Carter for his “selfless service to the American people” in a statement shared on social media.