| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 563 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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| 3 | 3 | | recognize women judges from across the state and to welcome them |
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| 4 | 4 | | to Austin on April 4, 2017, on the occasion of Texas Women Judges' |
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| 5 | 5 | | Day at the State Capitol; and |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Women judges in Texas have a storied history |
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| 7 | 7 | | dating back to 1925, when Governor Pat Neff appointed Hortense |
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| 8 | 8 | | Sparks Ward, Hattie Leah Henenberg, and Ruth Virginia Brazzil to |
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| 9 | 9 | | serve as Texas Supreme Court justices for a case from which all of |
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| 10 | 10 | | the existing judges on the court had recused themselves; and |
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| 11 | 11 | | WHEREAS, The case involved a fraternal organization that |
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| 12 | 12 | | had so many prominent members that no qualified male judges or |
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| 13 | 13 | | attorneys could be found who did not have a conflict of interest; |
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| 14 | 14 | | the women appointed to serve on the supreme court were all |
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| 15 | 15 | | well-established attorneys, and these pioneering women formed |
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| 16 | 16 | | the first court in the nation composed entirely of women; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, The first woman to hold a permanent position on a |
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| 18 | 18 | | Texas bench was Sarah Tilghman Hughes, a highly esteemed state |
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| 19 | 19 | | representative who was appointed to the 14th District Court in |
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| 20 | 20 | | Dallas by Governor James Allred in 1935; Judge Hughes went on to |
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| 21 | 21 | | win election to the seat for a full term and was reelected for six |
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| 22 | 22 | | more terms; in 1961, she became the first woman to serve as a |
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| 23 | 23 | | federal district judge in Texas; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | WHEREAS, Since that time, numerous women have served with |
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| 25 | 25 | | distinction on the Texas Supreme Court and on the Texas Court of |
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| 26 | 26 | | Criminal Appeals; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Today, more than 1,300 women preside over courts |
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| 28 | 28 | | throughout the state; they exemplify the highest standards of |
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| 29 | 29 | | judicial conduct, and their dedication to public service is truly |
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| 30 | 30 | | an inspiration to us all; now, therefore, be it |
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| 31 | 31 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
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| 32 | 32 | | Legislature, hereby commend the women judges of Texas for their |
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| 33 | 33 | | service and their commitment to equal justice under the law and |
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| 34 | 34 | | extend to them best wishes for a memorable Texas Women Judges' |
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| 35 | 35 | | Day at the State Capitol; and, be it further |
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| 36 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in |
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| 37 | 37 | | honor of this special occasion. |
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| 38 | 38 | | West, Huffman, Zaffirini |
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| 39 | 39 | | ________________________________ |
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| 40 | 40 | | President of the Senate |
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| 41 | 41 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 42 | 42 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 43 | 43 | | the Senate on April 4, 2017. |
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| 44 | 44 | | ________________________________ |
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| 45 | 45 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 46 | 46 | | ________________________________ |
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| 47 | 47 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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| 48 | 48 | | ________________________________ |
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| 49 | 49 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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| 50 | 50 | | ________________________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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