Under an 1891 legislative act, Texas created a Court of Appeals system. These courts are part of the Judicial Branch of the Texas government and are located at a level above trial courts but below the Texas Supreme Court and the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Each appellate court had a Chief Justice and at least two additional justices, elected every six years. Residents of Eastland, which experienced population growth in the 1910s and 1920s, complained of long travel to the nearest Court of Civil Appeals in Fort Worth. When the Texas Legislature began discussing expansion of the Court of Appeal system in 1923, Senator Joseph Burkett (1885-1962) of Eastland offered a bill to establish an Eleventh Court of Civil Appeals in Eastland. The Senate passed the bill, but it was delayed in the House until an amendment was proposed which would establish the court in Abilene. Sen. Burkett relented, hoping Governor Pat Neff would veto it, which he did. When the Legislature met again in 1925, Senator Carl C. Hardin (1882-1965) of Erath County offered a bill to establish an Eleventh Court of Civil Appeals in neghboring Eastland. The bill passed both the House and Senate and was signed into law by Governor Miriam Ferguson. Three new justices were sworn in. Will Pannill (1876-1948) of Stephenville was sworn in as Chief Justice. John Littler (1865-1953) of Big Spring and T.B. Ridgell (1870-1943) of Breckenridge were Associate Justices. The original location was in Eastland's First State Bank, which was remodeled to include a courtroom, Justices' chambers and library. When Eastland County built a new courthouse in 1928, it included space for the court. The Eleventh Court of Appeals in Eastland, the smallest Texas town to host a Court of Appeals, has continued to serve justice to the region, covering 28 primarily rural counties. (2023)