AMARILLO, Texas - eTradeWire -- Justice Laura Pratt took the oath of office for the Seventh Court of Appeals, Place 2, on April 1, 2026, following her appointment by Governor Greg Abbott on March 13, 2026. She has served on the bench since that date, hearing cases and issuing opinions for the court's 46-county Panhandle and West Texas district. On Wednesday, July 1, 2026, Governor Abbott formally recognized her appointment during a ceremony at the Texas Capitol in Austin, joined by family, colleagues, and other elected officials.

The Seventh Court of Appeals, based in Amarillo, hears civil and criminal appeals from district and county courts across 46 counties spanning the Texas Panhandle and West Texas. Because Justice Pratt was appointed to fill a vacancy rather than elected, Texas law requires her to face voters at the next election to serve for the remainder of the unexpired term. Republican precinct chairs across the Seventh District will determine who appears on the Republican primary ballot for Place 2.

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"I am honored to serve the people of the Texas Panhandle and West Texas from the bench," Justice Pratt said. " And I am grateful for Governor Abbott's confidence in me."

Justice Pratt brings more than sixteen years of legal experience in the Texas Panhandle to the Seventh Court. As a member attorney at Sprouse Shrader Smith PLLC, her practice focused on business and commercial litigation, including eminent domain, oil and gas, public utility, environmental, and agricultural law. She began her legal career at the City of Lubbock Attorney's Office, where she practiced municipal law and served as a municipal prosecutor.

A Texas Tech University School of Law graduate, magna cum laude, Justice Pratt also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry with a biochemistry concentration from the University of Arkansas,  a scientific background she credits with shaping a precise, evidence-driven approach to legal analysis.

Justice Pratt is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the State Bar of New Mexico, the Lubbock Area Bar Association, and the Amarillo Area Bar Association. Outside the courtroom, she co-founded OneVoiceHome, a nonprofit supporting survivors of sex trafficking, and served as its Executive Director. She and her family are active members of Turning Point Community Church and Frenship ISD's parent-teacher associations, and she and her oldest son take part together in the Young Men's Service League and the Lubbock Symphony Guild. She is also a member of the Lubbock Area Republican Women, the Amarillo Republican Women, and the Texas Federation of Republican Women.

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Justice Pratt lives in Lubbock with her husband, Joshua, and their three children.

For more information:
Justice Laura Pratt Campaign
P.O. Box 64278, Lubbock, Texas 79464
PrattforJustice.com (https://www.prattforjustice.com/)