Second Court of Appeals

Justice Place 5

Dabney Bassel (2018 to Present)

Dabney Bassel was born on October 2, 1957, in Temple, Texas.  He was raised in San Antonio and graduated from the Texas Military Institute.  He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Trinity University in 1979 and received his law degree from Baylor Law School in 1982.

He began his legal career as a briefing attorney for Justice Ted Akin of the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas.  In 1984, he joined the Fort Worth firm of Law, Snakard, and Gambill, where he practiced until 2005.  He then became of counsel with the firm of Bassel and Wilcox before going into solo practice.

In 2018, Bassel successfully ran for an open seat on the Second Court of Appeals.  Because retiring Justice Sue Walker did not wish to finish her term, Governor Greg Abbott appointed Bassel to the seat on November 19, 2018, just days after he won the election.

Justice Bassel is board certified in Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  He is a sustaining Elected Member of the American Law Institute as well as a sustaining Life Fellow of the Tarrant County Bar Foundation and the Texas Bar Foundation.  He has held numerous leadership roles within the Tarrant County Bar Association, including Vice-President, Treasurer, Director, and Chair of the Appellate Section.  He was also a former President, Counselor, and Treasurer of the Eldon B. Mahon Inn of Court, and he is a member of the Serjeants’ Inn of North Texas.  Justice Bassel continues to serve on the Second Court of Appeals and is a frequent speaker and writer on legal issues.