Government salary transparency for Texas — how we built it

SUPREME COURT

Texas public payroll data for SUPREME COURT. We have 12 employee records on file from the most recent state release. Below: a breakdown of pay, common roles, and the full employee list.

12Employees on file
$207,438Average annual pay
$266,700Highest annual pay
$78,972Lowest annual pay
Common roles: JUSTICE COURT LAW CLERK II CHIEF JUSTICE ATTORNEY V

About this agency

SUPREME COURT is part of the Judiciary & Legal sector of Texas state government. The OpenPayrolls dataset includes 12 distinct employee records associated with this agency, drawn from the most recent state payroll release. Reported pay ranges from $78,972 at the low end to $266,700 at the high end, with an average of $207,438 across all roles.

Like every state agency listed here, SUPREME COURT is funded primarily through legislative appropriations and dedicated revenue. Compensation reported in this database represents the employee's annualized base salary at the time of the data snapshot — not necessarily the amount actually paid out during the calendar year, which can differ because of partial-year employment, mid-year promotions, supplemental funding sources (federal grants, athletic revenue at universities, fee-supported programs), and overtime. See our methodology for the full caveats.

The roles most commonly held at this agency are JUSTICE, COURT LAW CLERK II, CHIEF JUSTICE, ATTORNEY V. To compare what people in any of these titles earn across other Texas agencies, click the role above. You can also see how SUPREME COURT compares to other employers in Austin, or against peer organizations on the Judiciary & Legal page.

Employees at SUPREME COURT

Page 1 of 1 · Showing 12 of 12 records, sorted by annual pay (highest first).

NameJob titleAnnual payTypeHire date
James Blacklock CHIEF JUSTICE $266,700 ERF - EXEMPT REGULAR FULL-TIME January 2, 2018
Debra Lehrmann JUSTICE $252,000 ERF - EXEMPT REGULAR FULL-TIME June 21, 2010
Jane Bland JUSTICE $252,000 ERF - EXEMPT REGULAR FULL-TIME September 11, 2019
Rebeca Huddle JUSTICE $252,000 ERF - EXEMPT REGULAR FULL-TIME October 30, 2020
John Devine JUSTICE $252,000 ERF - EXEMPT REGULAR FULL-TIME January 1, 2013
Justin Busby JUSTICE $252,000 ERF - EXEMPT REGULAR FULL-TIME March 20, 2019
Evan Young JUSTICE $231,000 ERF - EXEMPT REGULAR FULL-TIME November 10, 2021
Kyle Hawkins JUSTICE $210,000 ERF - EXEMPT REGULAR FULL-TIME October 27, 2025
James Sullivan JUSTICE $210,000 ERF - EXEMPT REGULAR FULL-TIME January 7, 2025
Ellen Springer ATTORNEY V $153,607 CRF - CLASSIFIED REGULAR FULL-TIME August 19, 2020
Jackson Nichols COURT LAW CLERK II $78,972 CRF - CLASSIFIED REGULAR FULL-TIME August 25, 2025
Christian Shaffer COURT LAW CLERK II $78,972 CRF - CLASSIFIED REGULAR FULL-TIME September 2, 2025

How to read these numbers

The annual pay column shows the salary that the agency reports for that employee at the time of the data snapshot. It is the standard apples-to-apples figure used by Texas budget analysts: monthly base rate × 12 for salaried employees, or hourly rate × scheduled hours × 52 for hourly staff. It does not include benefits, retirement contributions, performance bonuses, settlement payments, contract buyouts, deferred compensation, or supplements paid from foundation or grant funds — all of which can be substantial at universities and large agencies.

Two employees with the same title and similar tenure can earn very different amounts at the same agency for legitimate reasons: market-pay adjustments approved by the agency head, longevity pay required by Texas Government Code Chapter 659, hazardous-duty pay for eligible peace officers, or temporary stipends during periods of acting leadership. Before drawing conclusions about any single record, look at the methodology page for the full set of caveats and read the agency's own pay plan if it has one.