Queer woman Maggie Ellis made history this week by becoming the first out LGBTQ+ elected as chief justice to the state Supreme Court. She intends to use her job to revisit the court’s orders regarding same-sex marriage.
Ellis, who currently serves on the Texas Third Court of Appeals, defeated her Republican opponent Jimmy Blacklock this week, winning 52% of the vote over his 48%. Her victory made her the first queer woman elected to lead the state’s high court. Democrats ended up winning all four seats up for grabs on the court’s nine-member bench, The Texas Tribune noted.
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“It’s significant that I would be the first openly queer female justice in the entire state of Texas,” Ellis told The Daily Texan. “It’s important that all of our elected seats reflect the population that they serve.”
Ellis was a teacher before becoming a lawyer. Her time in classrooms made her start noticing when kids were having trouble at home. That’s when she knew she wanted to help children and families. So, her first legal job was prosecuting abuse and neglect cases with the state department of Child Protective Services. She later practiced family law, helping low-income clients navigate divorces and child custody disputes.
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As the state Supreme Court’s chief justice, she told KTBC that she intends to revisit the court’s orders on same-sex marriage. In 2025, the court revised the state judicial code to allow judges to refuse to perform same-sex marriages, and in 2026, the court extended this discriminatory right to justices of the peace.
Ellis said she also wants to work with state legislators to expand access to legal services for poorer Texans.
“Texas, we made history. As a mom, I can’t help but think about what this means for the next generation of Texas kids,” Ellis said. “I want every child growing up in this state to know that no door is closed to them because of who they are, where they come from, or who they love.”
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