Holly Taylor, a Democrat, is running for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 9 in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. She faces Republican John Messinger.
This candidacy is listed in the Texas secretary of state’s official November 3, 2026 certification for Collin County.
Taylor said on her campaign website that she will "bring an independent voice to the Court of Criminal Appeals to ensure that cases receive a fair and thorough review."
Taylor's career has spanned both the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and the Travis County District Attorney's Office, according to her campaign and the Texas Judges website.
She said she served as a staff attorney at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals from 1996 to 1999. She then joined the Travis County District Attorney's Office as an assistant district attorney on the appeals team from 1999 to 2001, according to her campaign.
She co-chairs the Austin Bar Association's continuing legal education committee and serves on the Court of Criminal Appeals Rules Committee, according to her campaign website. Taylor has authored articles on criminal justice topics including domestic violence, the juvenile justice system and jury unanimity, she said on her campaign site.
Responses are based on public data and answers to a Surround Sound Media questionnaire if they were provided.
