Governor Greg Abbott on June 13th, announced his appointments to the new Fourth Business Court Division in San Antonio, which was created last year to provide an efficient mechanism for businesses to resolve complex commercial disputes in Texas. The Governor has appointed Marialyn Barnard and Stacy Sharp to be judges of the Fourth Business Court Division, effective September 1, 2024, for terms set to expire on September 1, 2026. The Fourth Business Court Division is composed of the counties of Aransas, Atascosa, Bee, Bexar, Calhoun, DeWitt, Dimmit, Frio, Goliad, Jackson, Karnes, LaSalle, Live Oak, Maverick, McMullen, Refugio, San Patricio, Victoria, Webb, Wilson, Zapata, and Zavala. 

Marialyn Barnard of San Antonio is Judge of the 73rd Judicial District Court in Bexar County. Previously, she served as the Bexar County Commissioner for Precinct 3 and as a Justice on the Fourth Court of Appeals for 10 years. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, American Law Institute, and San Antonio Bar Association and former Chair of its Litigation Section. Additionally, she is a former member of the State Bar of Texas Grievance Committee, Federal Bar Association (FBA), American Bar Association, and the Bexar County Women’s Bar Association. She is a member, former president, and former board member of the Rotary Club of San Antonio, former volunteer for San Antonio Metropolitan Ministries, and a former board member of Child Advocates San Antonio, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Firstmark Credit Union. Barnard received a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and English from Texas A&M University – Commerce and a Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s University School of Law.

Stacy Sharp of San Antonio is an attorney and owner of Sharp Appellate PLLC and an adjunct professor at The University of Texas (UT) at Austin. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas and is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas and to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. She is a member of the FBA, San Antonio and the former President of the FBA, Austin. Additionally, she serves in various volunteer capacities, including as President of the Alamo Heights Independent School District School Board of Trustees and member of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, National Charity League, and the Young Men’s Service League. Sharp received a Bachelor of Science in Math, Spanish, and Education from Vanderbilt University and a Juris Doctor from UT Austin 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.