Governor Greg Abbott on June 12th, announced his appointments to the new Eighth Business Court Division in Fort Worth, which was created last year to provide an efficient mechanism for businesses to resolve complex commercial disputes in Texas. The Governor has appointed Jerry Bullard and Brian Stagner to be judges of the Eighth Business Court Division, effective September 1, 2024, for terms set to expire on September 1, 2026. The Eighth Business Court Division is composed of the counties of Archer, Clay, Cooke, Denton, Eastland, Erath, Hood, Jack, Johnson, Montague, Palo Pinto, Parker, Somervell, Stephens, Tarrant, Wichita, Wise, and Young. 

Jerry Bullard of Colleyville is a shareholder and attorney with Adams, Lynch & Loftin, P.C. and has over 30 years of experience in state and federal court litigation, including both trial and appellate law. He is board certified in civil appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization; a member of the Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee, State Bar of Texas and its Appellate, Litigation, and Legislative/Campaign Law Sections; and a gubernatorial appointee on the Texas Juvenile Justice Board. Additionally, he is a member of the Tarrant County Bar Association and Chair of its Appellate Section Pro Bono Committee, fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation and the Tarrant Bar Foundation, and volunteer for 6 Stones Mission Network (Night of Hope) and Cross Creek Student Ministry. Bullard received a Bachelor of Arts in Telecommunications from Baylor University and a Juris Doctor from The University of Texas at Austin School of Law.

Brian Stagner of Fort Worth is of counsel and a former partner at Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP and an adjunct professor at Texas Christian University teaching business law. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas and its Litigation Section and Appellate Section, a fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation, and a sustaining life fellow of the Tarrant County Bar Foundation. Additionally, he is a former member of the Texas Association of Defense Counsel and former barrister for the American Inns of Court. He is a former board member of the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Parker County and Lena Pope Home Charity Golf Committee and a former volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Texas. Stagner received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Angelo State University and a Juris Doctor from Texas Tech University School of Law.

Last year, Governor Abbott signed House Bill 19 into law creating a new statewide specialty business trial courts to streamline resolutions of business disputes.