Marc M. Meyer, a Democrat, is running for Justice, 15th Court of Appeals, Place 3, in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Republican incumbent April Farris, who was appointed to the court in September 2024, according to her official biography.
Asked why he is running, Meyer said in our candidate questionnaire: “I have a strong interest in this area because I am Board Certified in Administrative Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. None of the current justices have expertise in this area of law, which I anticipate will be a majority of the cases that come before the Court.”
The State Bar of Texas directory confirms Meyer’s administrative-law certification. His characterization of the current justices’ expertise is his assessment; Farris’s biography describes experience handling appeals for state agencies.
The court has exclusive intermediate appellate jurisdiction over specified civil matters involving state government, subject to exceptions, and appeals from the Texas Business Court, according to its annual report.
Candidate information
Party: “Democrat,” Meyer said in our questionnaire.
Education: Meyer listed: “BS, Cornell University, Biology, 1986 … MS, Texas A&M University, Biochemistry, 1989 … AS(nursing), Regents College, 1998 … JD, South Texas College of Law, 2009.”
Family: “I've been married to my wife, Sandra, for over 30 years. … We have 2 children: Matthew is a graduate of Sam Houston and works in logistics. Jennifer is a senior in Chemical Engineering at UT-San Antonio,” Meyer said in our questionnaire.
Experience and public service
Meyer said in our questionnaire: “I am a former City of Houston firefighter/paramedic that retired in 2011 as a Captain/Paramedic Supervisor. I have also been licensed as a registered nurse since 1998 … Since graduating from law school and passing the bar in 2009, I have been a solo practitioner representing healthcare providers before their respective licensing agencies … I am also Of Counsel for a medical malpractice defense law firm, representing some physician and dental providers.”
Political experience: Meyer listed: “Chair, Montgomery County Democratic Party; 2015 - 2020.”
On the issues
Court’s role and independence: Asked how he would keep the court independent, Meyer said: “The addition of the exclusive jurisdiction over appeals involving state government was a political response to decisions coming out of the Austin-based 3rd Court of Appeals … But in the vast majority of cases, the controlling factors are not overtly political: Statutes and regulations at issue; prior precedent from the United States Supreme Court, Texas Supreme Court, and the 15th Court of Appeals itself; and the facts of the case play the largest role in how cases will be decided.”
Judicial philosophy: Meyer said: “As the only individual running for the 15th Court of Appeals that is not a current judge, my judicial philosophy will likely evolved out of the political philosophy of prudentialism, which holds that taking measured, practical steps towards a goal while recognizing changing circumstances is , encapsulated by the idea that perfection should not become the enemy of the good …”
Past accomplishments: Meyer said he has “prosecuted several appeals in administrative cases,” citing Banda v. Texas Board of Nursing in 2018.
In that case, the appeals court reversed the trial court’s judgment and remanded the matter to the nursing board for further proceedings, according to the court opinion.
Endorsements
The newsroom’s BallotReady records list the following endorsements. Most local entries are dated February 2026; they have not all been independently confirmed for the general election.
- AFL-CIO
- Anderson County Area Central Labor Council
- Dallas AFL-CIO Council
- San Antonio AFL-CIO Council
- Wichita Falls Trades and Labor Council
- Deep East Texas Council of Labor
- Rio Grande Valley Central Labor Union
- Victoria Area Central Labor Council
- Lubbock Central Labor Union
- Howdy Politics
- Amarillo Central Labor Council
- Permian Basin Central Labor Union
- Texas Gulf Coast Area Labor Federation, AFL-CIO
- Liberal Austin Democrats
- Smith County Central Labor Council
- Sabine Area Central Labor Council
Candidate responses were collected through a Surround Sound News questionnaire for the Murphy-Wylie-Sachse Courier. Questionnaire quotations are excerpted without changing the candidate’s wording.
