Associate Justice, Texas Supreme Court, 1979-1980
William Lockhart Garwood was born October 29, 1931 in Houston, Texas. His father, Wilmer St. John Garwood, was an attorney and served as an associate justice of the Texas Supreme Court from 1948 to 1958. Garwood earned a B.A. from Princeton University in 1952 and an LL.B. from The University of Texas School of Law in 1955.
Following his graduation from law school, Garwood was a law clerk for U.S. Court of Appeals judge John R. Brown until joining the U.S. Army in 1956. He was assigned to the JAG corps, the Army's judicial branch, and earned the rank of lieutenant. After three years of service he left the Army, moved to Austin, and opened a law practice.
Garwood practiced law for twenty years until November 1979, when Gov. William P. Clements appointed him an associate justice of the Texas Supreme Court. Garwood campaigned for the seat the following year but lost the election.
Following his supreme court service, Garwood returned to private practice. In 1981 President Ronald Reagan nominated him to a newly created federal judgeship on the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Garwood served in the position for sixteen years, until reaching senior status in 1997. He lives in Austin and is currently an active senior judge.
Garwood, William Lockhart,
Judges of the United States Courts (accessed October 16, 2006).
http://www.fjc.gov/history/home.nsf/judges_frmWilliam Garwood, Texas State Cemetery (accessed October 16, 2006).
http://www.cemetery.state.tx.us/pub/user_form22.asp?step=1&pers_id=6411
