Gov. Abbott swears in judges for newly created Texas Business Courts in Fort Worth

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott swore in the first judges for the state’s new Business Court at the Texas A&M University School of Law in Fort Worth on Thursday.

Abbott, a former Texas Supreme Court justice, said though Texas is a national leader in many respects, it has lagged behind in establishing business courts. About half of states have some type of business court .

Abbott also noted the stress that rapid economic development can put on already “clogged courts” across the state. Texas has the eighth largest economy in the world .

“We have to have a legal process system that will be able to address the inevitable challenges that are going to arise in such a massive context,” Abbott said.

Texas business courts were created last year with the passage of House Bill 19 . They are a venue for business disputes concerning over $5 million.

The new business courts are expected to make litigation move through the system faster. The presence of a business court may also make Texas more appealing to companies interested in legally incorporating here.

“You need to understand that just as in any typical business, there is a need for speed, because there’s the cost of doing business,” Abbott said. “The same concept applies in the legal system; a legal system that is slow in moving sometimes does injustice as much as it does justice.”

Local and state politicians, Texas A&M leaders, justices from the Texas Supreme Court and members of the business and legal communities attended Thursday’s ceremony.

“Texas is the best place to do business in the United States of America, period,” said Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp .

Ten judges for five divisions of the new courts were sworn in Thursday. Appointed judges are Andrea Bouressa and William Whitehill for the 1st Division, Melissa Andrews and Patrick Sweeten for the 3rd Division, Marialyn Barnard and Stacy Sharp for the 4th Division, Jerry Bullard and Brian Stagner for the Fort Worth-based 8th Division and Sofia Adrogué and Grant Dorfman for the 11th Division.

Business court judges are appointed by the governor and serve two-year terms, markedly shorter than business court judges in other states. Judges for Delaware’s Court of Chancery , one of the most popular venues for businesses to handle legal action, serve 12-year terms.

The remaining six business court divisions are expected to be operational beginning on Sept. 1, 2026.

Texas Business Courts began taking cases on Sept. 1.

Bullard, one of the 8th Division judges, said the business court will be able to help further Texas’ economic growth by developing a strong body of law.

Bullard said one case has been filed in the 8th Division so far. He said it’s hard to tell how many cases could be filed by the end of the year, but businesses and individuals have expressed interest in bringing their cases to the 8th Division.

The Texas A&M law school will be home to the chambers and courtroom until they move across the street to the university’s new Research and Innovation Building .

The law school’s dean, Bobby Ahdieh, said the new court will give students a firsthand look at the law in action. He hopes the court and Texas A&M’s local expansion will encourage new academic and industry partnerships and draw more business to Fort Worth.

“It’s not that we’re not already an incredibly attractive place, but if this makes it more so, then that’s an important addition,” he said.

Businessman John Goff, a strong supporter of the new Texas A&M campus, remarked on the importance of business courts to the city’s future in an op-ed published in the Star-Telegram on Thursday.

Mayor Mattie Parker, an alumna of the Texas A&M School of Law, said Abbott selected “amazing justices” to preside over the business courts.

“I would say it’s a marquee moment for the city of Fort Worth, and obviously the state of Texas. For them to have chosen Texas A&M School of Law and our city is incredibly fantastic,” said Parker.

Senate Bill 1045 created Texas’ 15th Court of Appeals, which will handle appeals that come from business court cases.

Texas Business Courts hear cases involving legal actions concerning securities and trade regulation, disputes between shareholders and the owner of a company, and contract violations. The courts do not have jurisdiction over cases involving foreclosures, estates or personal injury, like workers’ compensation.

To file a case in Texas’ business court, individuals must pay a $2,500 filing fee .

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