The Third District Court of Appeals Place 4 seat in Austin draws two challengers that have not presided in appeals court cases before: Republican Lesli Fitzpatrick and Democrat Rosa Theofanis.

The seat is currently held by Melissa Goodwin, a Republican with 11 years on the bench who chose not to seek reelection. Fitzpatrick, currently a criminal defense attorney with past experience as a state agency attorney and a prosecutor, ran uncontested in the primary.