12/30/2022
Today marks my last work day as a sitting Justice with the Texas 3rd Court of Appeals, At the end of my term, tomorrow, I retire from the Court and become a senior judge for the State of Texas.
To say that it has been a privilege to serve on the Court is insufficient and the 12 years have flown by faster than I could have imagined! My first two weeks in office brought oral argument on a religious freedom and first amendment case, and my last oral argument case was before an en banc court – something no one could remember happening before (at least not as long as there were 6 justices on the bench). While at the Court we’ve struggled out of a backlog to become the most productive, least reversed intermediate appellate court in the State. We’ve survived a vicious ransoms-ware attack and transitioned through a pandemic – not to mention 6 regular legislative sessions. I have read more, learned more, and worked harder than I thought that I would, authoring over 1600 majority opinions and writing separately 52 times (only 22 straight dissents) but I have so thoroughly enjoyed the Court’s mission that most days it didn’t feel like work.
I was blessed with an amazing team of lawyers and staff, worked with almost 20 different justices, served on committees, traveled to the Court’s 24 counties, conducted argument in neighboring Tom Green and Bell counties, participated in continuing ed for lawyers and for judges, went to rodeos, was in fashion shows, spoke at rallies, Independence Day celebrations, and Constitution Day dinners, hosted home schools, high schools, boy scouts, law students, farm bureaus, realtors, business operators, trade associations and civic organizations and even made a few friends along the way. I am truly grateful for the people that I have met – particularly those who share my passion for law, the Constitution and the judicial system – there are so many of you in this great State!!
So to my fellow Texans, please accept my most heartfelt thanks for the opportunity to serve you as Justice on the 3rd Court of Appeals. It has truly been an honor.
