Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice James “Jimmy” Blacklock has demanded answers from a Dallas County judge accused of requiring masks and intrusive health disclosures as a condition of entering her courtroom.

In a sharply worded May 13 letter, Chief Justice Blacklock warned Dallas County Court at Law No. 1 Judge D’Metria Benson that he is “aware of no legitimate basis” under Texas law for conditioning access to a public courtroom on a mask mandate or heightened health screening.

The letter, obtained Tuesday, gives Benson until 5 p.m. Friday, May 15, to either clarify that no such policy exists, explain the legal basis for the restrictions, or withdraw them entirely.

“It has come to my attention that you may be requiring people entering your courtroom to wear facemasks and to divulge intimate information about their health,” Blacklock wrote.

He added:

“If this is true, please carefully reconsider whether you have legal authority for these actions.”

Blacklock pointed directly to the Texas Constitution, citing Article I, Section 13, which guarantees that “all courts shall be open.”

“I am aware of no legitimate basis on which a Texas judge may condition a person’s presence in a courtroom on a mask requirement or on a heightened health screening,” the Chief Justice wrote.

That is a stunning statement from the state’s highest judicial officer—and one that signals Texas’ judicial leadership may be increasingly unwilling to tolerate lingering COVID-style mandates years after the pandemic emergency ended.

Blacklock also invoked Rule 10(f) of the Rules of Judicial Administration, which gives the Texas Supreme Court authority to direct lower courts to amend or withdraw local rules, standing orders, or policies deemed unfair or unduly burdensome.

The Chief Justice’s letter was prompted by reports that Benson’s courtroom may be enforcing mask requirements and requiring visitors to disclose private health information before entry. Blacklock cited reporting by The Texas Lawbook regarding attorney Mark Curriden’s challenge to the policy.

NEW: SCOTX Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock is demanding answers from a Dallas judge over her courtroom mask mandate, warning he is “aware of no legitimate basis” for requiring masks or health disclosures to enter a Texas courtroom.

Blacklock gave Judge D’Metria Benson until Friday… pic.twitter.com/QeO1UiFlAM

— Brandon Waltens (@bwaltens) May 14, 2026

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