When people sue over money or land, a civil district court judge decides the case. Dusty Fillmore is the 236th District Court's judge, appointed by Governor Abbott on January 15, 2026. His term ends December 31, 2026, so he is on the ballot to keep the seat.
Before the bench, Fillmore was lead lawyer for a Southlake parent who sued Carroll ISD in 2020, saying board members broke open-meetings law by texting about a diversity plan. A judge halted the plan that December, and the board settled 4-1 in 2021. His campaign says he opposes "anti-faith, anti-family, and anti-American leftist ideology."
Judges aren't allowed to take sides on these values — it's against judicial ethics rules. The best clue to how a judge thinks is the party they run with.