Democrat Julie Countiss faces Republican David Gunn for Place 4 on Texas’ 1st Court of Appeals in the Nov. 3, 2026, election. The state’s certified ballot identifies the contest as an unexpired term.
This is a Houston-area judicial district, not a statewide race. It does not appear on ballots in Collin, Denton or Rockwall counties.
Experience
Countiss’s law firm biography identifies her as a former justice of the 1st Court of Appeals, elected to Place 7 in 2018, and describes her appellate work in civil disputes. She is now seeking a different place on that court.
This article does not repeat the original draft’s outdated assertion that she remains an assistant county attorney.
The office’s work
The 1st Court of Appeals reviews civil and criminal matters from its assigned district. Appellate judges assess the trial record and legal arguments rather than hold a new trial. Individual justices participate in collective decisions and must follow applicable law.
Campaign information
No detailed, current proposal with a separate implementation budget was verified in the materials reviewed. The judicial office does not carry the power to enact state tax or spending laws.
This profile uses the certified ballot, court information and Countiss’s professional biography. It excludes unverified endorsements and does not suggest that North Texas readers vote in this contest.
The Prosper-Celina Journal did not receive a direct questionnaire response from the candidate and does not endorse candidates.
