As courts of last resort, the Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals have shaped the rights of Texas citizens over the state's nearly 200-year existence. The individuals who served on these courts came from a wide variety of backgrounds and contributed to the history of Texas in many different ways. Justices of Texas 1836-1986 portrays these diverse individuals, places their contributions in the context of Texas history and jurisprudence, and enables the public to gain a better understanding of the history of the state courts and their impact on the lives of Texas residents and businesses.
In addition to providing biographical and bibliographic information for each justice, Justices of Texas 1836-1986 cites important opinions authored by the justices and provides links to constitutional provisions that those opinions interpret. The Texas court timeline shows the evolution of the state's judiciary from the municipal alcalde of the early 19th century and the creation of the Texas Supreme Court in 1840 to the 1980 court reorganization which vested intermediate appellate jurisdiction for criminal cases in the courts of appeals.
Justices of Texas 1836-1986 and Texas Constitutions 1824-1876 are two components of a digital library that we hope will highlight Texas legal history. The collections of the Tarlton Law Library are rich in materials that depict Texas history, its jurisprudence, and the personalities of the individuals who have made important contributions to Texas legal history. The digital library will enable the Library to share its collections and other resources with a wide audience and will encourage researchers and scholars to explore Texas legal history topics.
For more information about this project or the Texas Legal History digital library, please contact Jeanne Price, associate director for patron services ( ; 512-471-7148).