Terry Jennings at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Current assignment
- Court of Appeals of Texas
- Jurisdiction
- Texas · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Terry Jennings
Judge · Court of Appeals of Texas
Biography
Professional career
- Judge, Court of Appeals of Texas, 2001-present
- After retiring from the bench, Justice Jennings founded Terry Jennings - ADR in 2019, where he serves as an independent arbitrator and mediator for complex, high-value disputes, both domestic and international.
- He is a Certified Mediator and holds a Certificate in Advanced Arbitration Skills from the University of Houston Law Center
Education
Additional information
- He served on the Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee from 2003 to 2014 and received multiple accolades, including Appellate Judge of the Year (2009 and 2018) and recognition as Houston’s Best Appellate Judge in 2011.
- Also listed on the Commercial and Consumer Rosters of the American Arbitration Association.
- His practice covers commercial, construction, employment, personal injury, and other civil disputes, with experience in pre-litigation, litigation, and appellate mediation.
- 18 years on Texas's First Court of Appeals in Houston, one of the busiest appellate courts in the United States, where he authored over 1,200 opinions on the merits and participated in thousands of other reasoned opinions on three-judge panels.
- During his tenure, he handled a wide range of civil cases, including complex commercial disputes, construction, employment, personal injury, insurance, intellectual property, and constitutional law issues.
- He also resolved cases involving large financial stakes, including disputes with jury awards exceeding $60 million.
- Justice Jennings earned his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center and is Board Certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
- He was also elected a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation
- received the Public Sector Achievement Award from the University of Houston Law Alumni Association.
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Oral argument
Courtwide
Use oral argument to emphasize and clarify the briefs, not merely read prepared text; assume the panel has read the briefs, be ready for questions, and stay within the record.
Oral argument should emphasize and clarify the written arguments in the briefs. Counsel should not merely read from prepared text.Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 39 - Oral Argument ↗
Courtwide
The court sets argument time. Finish within the allotment unless the court permits continuation; the appellant must be allowed to conclude.
Counsel must complete argument in the time allotted and may continue after the expiration of the allotted time only with permission of the court.Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 39 - Oral Argument ↗
Courtwide
Request oral argument on the front cover of the brief. If argument is set, all parties that filed briefs may participate even if they did not request it.
A party desiring oral argument must note that request on the front cover of the party’s brief.Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 39 - Oral Argument ↗
Courtwide
The clerk's notice states whether argument is allowed, the date, allotted time, location or electronic-joining instructions, exhibit instructions, and panel members.
The clerk must send to the parties—at least 21 days before the date the case is set for argument or submission without argument—a notice telling the parties:Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 39 - Oral Argument ↗
Number Of Arguing Counsel
Courtwide
Generally one lawyer should argue for each side. Without leave, no more than two may argue per side, and only one may present rebuttal.
Generally, only one counsel should argue for each side. Except on leave of court, no more than two counsel on each side may argue. Only one counsel may argue in rebuttal.Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 39 - Oral Argument ↗
Published courtroom rules
Shared court rules
Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 9.2, Electronic Filing
Court of Appeals of Texas
Scope is limited to the court class in the source claim. Shared court context only; case-type restrictions, exceptions, later amendments and case orders apply. This is not a personal preference or a complete rules inventory.
Official source ↗ · Collected 2026-07-26Sources
Identity source checked June 30, 2026.
Biography sources checked October 10, 2026.
Court of Appeals of Texas current judicial profile
Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 2, 2026
View Court of Appeals of Texas current judicial profile ↗Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 39 - Oral Argument
Courtwide source · PDF · Source checked July 30, 2026
View Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, Rule 39 - Oral Argument ↗