The State Bar directory’s law-school section lists: “South Texas College of Law / Doctor of Jurisprudence/Juris Doctor (J.D.) 05/1984 / University of Houston / Master of Laws 05/2015.”

State Bar of Texas Member Directory — Gerald L. “Jerry” Zimmerer

Jerry Zimmerer earned a law degree from South Texas College of Law and a Master of Laws from the University of Houston.

Find A Lawyer | Gerald L. Zimmerer - State Bar of Texas

Jerry earned a law degree from South Texas College of Law and a Master of Laws from the University of Houston.

Zimmerer’s campaign biography states: “Jerry has spent more than 40 years in Texas courtrooms as a trial lawyer and judge, including six years as an elected justice on the 14th Court of Appeals in Houston — a seat he won from the voters, not from a governor. Before the law, he spent over a decade building networks at AT&T Mobility, and he later ran his own Houston practice focused on cybersecurity, health, and commercial arbitration.”

for Justice — 15th Court of Appeals: Why We’re Running

Jerry Zimmerer worked at AT&T Mobility building networks and later ran his own Houston practice focused on cybersecurity, health, and commercial arbitration.

Jerry worked at AT&T Mobility building networks and later ran his own Houston practice focused on cybersecurity, health, and commercial arbitration.

The Texan reports: “Zimmerer was elected to the 14th COA in 2018 and served through 2024. Before becoming a judge, Zimmerer spent 12 years in a professional role at AT&T and ran a private commercial law practice, Zimmerer & Associates. Zimmerer also ran in the 2020 Democratic primary for the Supreme Court of Texas.”

Republican 15th Court of Appeals incumbents seek re-election for the first time

Jerry was elected to the 14th Court of Appeals in 2018 and served through 2024. He also ran in the 2020 Democratic primary for the Supreme Court of Texas.

Republican 15th Court of Appeals Incumbents Seek Re-Election for ...

Jerry Zimmerer was elected to the 14th Court of Appeals in 2018 and served through 2024. He also ran in the 2020 Democratic primary for the Supreme Court of Texas.

2026 Texas General Election

2026 Texas General Runoff

Nonpartisan

Served as an elected justice on Texas's 14th Court of Appeals from 2018 through 2024.

As a state court of appeals judge, ensures the law has been applied correctly in state criminal and civil cases and exercises the authority to correct procedural errors or misinterpretations of fact or law by lower courts.

Ran a Houston law practice focused on cybersecurity, health, and commercial arbitration.

Worked as a trial lawyer in Texas courtrooms.

- As a state court of appeals judge, ensures the law has been applied correctly in state criminal and civil cases and exercises the authority to correct procedural errors or misinterpretations of fact or law by lower courts.
- Ran a Houston law practice focused on cybersecurity, health, and commercial arbitration.
- Worked as a trial lawyer in Texas courtrooms.

Legal Experience

The campaign’s equal-access section says: “Appellate justice shouldn’t be a members-only club for the state and Fortune 500 litigants. That means plain-language opinions, fair treatment of self-represented Texans, and a bench that reflects the people it serves — firefighters and nurses as well as corporate partners.”

for Justice — 15th Court of Appeals: Issues

The campaign’s “An efficient, transparent bench” section attributes this court-administration record and objective directly to Zimmerer: “Justice delayed is justice denied — especially when the case decides whether a state law stands. Jerry Zimmerer has made court efficiency a hallmark of his judicial career: timely opinions, clear reasoning, and a docket that moves. A court this consequential owes Texans answers, in writing, on time.”

Advocates plain-language opinions and fair treatment of people who represent themselves in appeals.

Prioritizes timely opinions, clear reasoning, and moving cases through the court.

- Advocates plain-language opinions and fair treatment of people who represent themselves in appeals.
- Prioritizes timely opinions, clear reasoning, and moving cases through the court.

Judicial Administration

The campaign identifies this as a shared position of Zimmerer, Tom Baker, and Marc Meyer: “We’re running as a slate because a three-judge court changes as a whole. Each of us brings decades of legal experience and years on the bench, and each of us believes the same things: judges should be elected, rulings should be impartial, and the power of the state must always be tempered by the rights of the individual.”

The slate campaign describes the 15th Court’s state-government docket and states: “This court’s docket is, by design, the people versus the state: suits against the Governor, the Attorney General, and every state agency. The state should win when the law is on its side — and lose when it isn’t. That only works when the judges owe the state nothing.”

Supports elected judges, impartial rulings, and limits on state power when individual rights are at stake.

Said the state should prevail only when its position is supported by law and that judges should be independent of state officials.

- Supports elected judges, impartial rulings, and limits on state power when individual rights are at stake.
- Said the state should prevail only when its position is supported by law and that judges should be independent of state officials.

Judicial Philosophy

As of July 22, 2026, Jerry Zimmerer’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Ethics & Conduct

Community Involvement

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Jerry Zimmerer

- Ran a Houston law practice focused on cybersecurity, health, and commercial arbitration.
- Worked as a trial lawyer in Texas courtrooms.

Buket Urgen

Scott Brister

- In Texas, appeals from district and county courts, except death penalty cases, go to one of 14 intermediate courts of appeal.
- The chief justice presides over court meetings, manages the court's administration, and has the authority to assign justices or judges to specific cases.
- Justices are elected in partisan elections for six-year terms.
- The yearly salary for a Court of Appeals justice in Texas is between $192,500 and $255,050 based on the total number of years they have served, plus an additional bonus of $13,475 for Chief Justice duties.

Oversees a court that handles appeals of lower trial court decisions.