Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman announced her intent to resign effective June 11, 2021, to Gov. Greg Abbott. She is the court’s senior justice, having served for 22 years.

“Serving the people of Texas at three levels of the judiciary has been the honor of a lifetime,” Guzman said in a press release. “To have the opportunity to apply my conservative judicial philosophy to the most pressing legal issues in Texas has been a genuine privilege. As I begin a new chapter, I pledge to continue to work for Texas families, and I remain dedicated to advancing the rule of law.”

Guzman is the first Latina to be elected to the Texas Supreme Court and the first Latina to be elected to statewide office in Texas. She has served on the 309th District Court of Harris County and the 14th Court of Appeals in Houston.

“Besides her significant contributions to the law of Texas, Justice Guzman has been a powerful and effective advocate for improving access to justice for the poor and others and for developing strategies to enhance our judicial system’s ability to serve adults and children facing mental health and intellectual disability challenges,” Texas Supreme Court Justice Nathan L. Hecht said in a press release. “Her exceptional leadership has been a great service to the state of Texas and the Supreme Court of Texas.”

Guzman is chair of the Supreme Court of Texas Permanent Judicial Commission for Children, Youth, and Families and has worked for over a decade with national and state leader safety, permanency, and well-being for Texas’ most vulnerable children and families. She helped found the Texas Judicial Commission on Mental Health to improve the lives of individuals with mental health needs, substance use problems, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. Since 2013, Guzman has served as liaison to the Texas Access to Justice Commission.

She serves on the Center for American and International Law Board of Trustees, the South Texas College of Law Houston Board of Trustees, and Duke University School of Law Bolch Judicial Institute’s Leadership Council. Guzman is an elected member of the American Law Institute and a frequent speaker on civic responsibility, civility, and continuing legal education.

Abbott will choose Guzman’s successor. Her current term ends December 31, 2022.