By Chris Bankler

On July 29, 2026, Texas Governor Greg Abbott reappointed all ten judges of the Texas Business Court Divisions to new two-year terms beginning September 1, 2026. The reappointments come as the court continues to develop and additional divisions become operational.

“Since its creation, the Texas Business Court has delivered monumental success. Specialized judges now handle the most complex commercial matters with the expertise and speed Texas businesses demand. Cases move forward efficiently, which gives companies the certainty they need to invest, expand, and create jobs. The judges being reappointed today have strengthened Texas’ position as the top state for business and drawn national attention as models for commercial dispute resolution.”

— Governor Greg Abbott

Background: The Texas Business Court

In 2023, Governor Abbott signed House Bill 19 to establish the Texas Business Court, a specialized trial court for complex commercial disputes. The legislation established a statewide forum for certain business and corporate governance matters.

The court is authorized to have 11 divisions, five of which are currently operational. Each division is staffed by two judges.

Court Activity

According to the court’s annual report, in fiscal year 2025 the court’s judges:

• Issued over 680 orders
• Held over 270 hearings and conferences

The court’s docket includes corporate governance disputes, derivative actions, mergers and acquisitions litigation, and commercial contract disputes.

Reappointed Judges by Division

First Business Court Division

Judge Andrea Bouressa of Murphy — previously Judge of the 471st Judicial District Court and Local Administrative District Judge for Collin County.

Judge William “Bill” Whitehill of Coppell — former Justice of the Texas Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas; previously headed the appellate and special issues practice group at Condon Tobin Sladek Thornton Nerenberg PLLC.

Third Business Court Division

Judge Melissa Andrews of Austin — previously an equity partner at Holland & Knight; former attorney for Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Boyd and First Court of Appeals Justice Harvey Brown; law clerk for Judge Don R. Willett on the Texas Supreme Court.

Judge Patrick K. Sweeten of Austin — previously Principal Deputy General Counsel for the Office of the Governor and Deputy Attorney General for Special Litigation at the Office of the Texas Attorney General.

Fourth Business Court Division

Judge Marialyn Barnard of San Antonio — previously Judge of the 73rd Judicial District Court in Bexar County, Bexar County Commissioner for Precinct 3, and a Justice on the Fourth Court of Appeals for 10 years.

Judge Stacy Sharp of San Antonio (Administrative Presiding Judge Pro Tempore) — previously attorney and owner of Sharp Appellate PLLC; adjunct professor at The University of Texas at Austin.

Eighth Business Court Division

Judge Jerry Bullard of Colleyville — previously a shareholder and attorney with Adams, Lynch & Loftin, P.C., with over 30 years of state and federal trial and appellate litigation experience.

Judge Brian Stagner of Fort Worth — previously counsel and partner at Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP; adjunct professor of business law at Texas Christian University.

Eleventh Business Court Division

Judge Sofia Adrogué of Houston — previously a partner with Diamond McCarthy LLP; founder and editor of the Texas Business Litigation Treatise (ALM), now in its 6th Edition; clerked at the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Judge Grant Dorfman of Bellaire (Administrative Presiding Judge) — previously Deputy First Assistant Attorney General at the Office of the Texas Attorney General; Judge of the 334th and 129th Judicial Districts in Harris County; counsel at Sheehy, Ware, Pappas & Grubbs, P.C.; Senior In-House Counsel to Nabors Industries.

Looking Ahead

The Texas Business Court will continue to develop as additional divisions become operational.

Jackson Walker will continue to monitor developments related to the Texas Business Court and provide updates as additional information becomes available.

The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the firm, its clients, or any of its or their respective affiliates. This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For more information, please contact Chris Bankler or a member of the Trial & Appellate Litigation practice.

Meet Chris

Chris Bankler focuses on the resolution of disputes for businesses and financial institutions. He counsels clients through the process of complex business litigation, including general business disputes, fraud claims, breach of fiduciary duty cases, and complex business bankruptcy litigation. He has served as litigation counsel in more than 100 cases in state and federal courts, as well as FINRA and AAA arbitrations.