Fifteenth Court of Appeals

Christopher A. Prine was appointed the first Clerk of Court for the Fifteenth Court of Appeals on September 1, 2024. The Court made the appointment under Texas Constitution article V, section 5a. Mr. Prine had previously served as Clerk of Court for the First and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals until his retirement in January 2023.  In August 2008, Mr. Prine began his service as Clerk for the Fourteenth Court of Appeals, and on January 1, 2013, he started his tenure a Clerk for the First Court of Appeals, becoming the first person to serve as Clerk of Court for both the First and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals.

Before his appointment as Clerk, Mr. Prine worked in the Chambers of Justices Adele Hedge and Sam Robertson at the First and Fourteenth Courts of Appeals, respectively. In private practice, he was employed by Crain, Caton & James, where he represented fiduciaries, beneficiaries, and creditors in trial and appellate courts across Texas. He also worked at Hennessy, Gardner & Barth, where he engaged in all aspects of litigation in state and federal courts, including an insurance defense docket.

 Mr. Prine earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Texas at Austin and his Juris Doctor from South Texas College of Law in Houston, Texas.