Attorney General Ken Paxton today reaffirmed his support for President Trump’s nominations of Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett and former Texas Solicitor General James C. Ho to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. Both nominees worked in the Texas Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and testified today at their confirmation hearing before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.
“As their testimony today showed, Justice Willett and Jim Ho are brilliant legal minds who will honor the Constitution, follow the rule of law and refrain from legislating from the bench,” Attorney General Paxton said. “I was proud to recommend them to President Trump and look forward to their approval by the U.S. Senate so they can begin their important work as judges on the 5th Circuit.”
Justice Willett served as deputy attorney general for legal counsel under former Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott and was appointed to the state Supreme Court in 2005 by then-Governor Rick Perry. Prior to joining the OAG, Justice Willett served as deputy assistant attorney general in the U.S. Department of Justice and was special assistant to former President George W. Bush from 2001-2002.
Ho served as solicitor general during Abbott’s tenure as attorney general and spent time as chief counsel to U.S. Senator John Cornyn. He clerked for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and 5th Circuit Judge Jerry Smith. Ho is currently a partner in the Dallas office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, where he serves as co-chair of the firm’s Appellate and Constitutional Law practice group.