Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced Monday the appointment of John Bailey as Chief Justice of the Eleventh Court of Appeals.
Bailey will serve as chief justice through the end of the year or "until his successor shall be duly elected and qualified," according to a news release from the governor's office.
Abbott's office had this to say about Bailey.
John Bailey of Cisco has served on the Eleventh Court of Appeals since October 2013, and previously served as a staff attorney for the Eleventh Court of Appeals for 12 years. He is a member of the Texas Bar College, State Bar of Texas and its Appellate Section, and the Abilene, Midland & Ector County Bar associations. He is a former member and president of the Abilene Young Lawyers Association and former member of the Texas Association of Appellate Court Staff Attorneys. He is president of the Cisco Livestock Show Association and volunteer P.A. announcer for the Cisco Loboes Football Team. Additionally, he is a former regent of the Cisco College Board of Regents and former president of the Eastland County Museum Association. Bailey received a Bachelor of Arts in government from Tarleton State University and a Juris Doctor degree from Texas Tech School of Law.
Bailey is stepping in for Jim R. Wright, the previous chief justice of the Eleventh District Court, who resigned effective Dec. 31, 2017 due to health concerns and family matters, according to Eastland County Today.
Gov. Clements appointed Wright judge of the 91st District Court in Eastland, Texas in 1979. He served as District Court Judge continuously until March 1995 when Gov. George W. Bush appointed him to serve as Justice of the 11th Court of Appeals; Gov. Rick Perry appointed him chief justice in September 2005. He was re-elected on Nov. 6, 2012 for a term that expires on Dec. 31, 2018.
