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New chief justice takes the oath (Texas)
Express-News Austin Bureau ^ | 11/12/2004 | Guillermo X. Garcia

Posted on 11/12/2004 10:53:46 AM PST by SwinneySwitch

AUSTIN — With equal parts pomp and humor, and as his youngest son snoozed, San Antonio attorney Wallace B. Jefferson on Thursday became the first African American to lead the Texas Supreme Court.

Appointed by Gov. Rick Perry, the descendant of a slave was sworn in as the 26th Chief Justice of the state's highest civil court at a ceremony that was decidedly a family affair.

His three sons, William, 10, Samuel, 8, and Michael, 5, led the crowd in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before Michael snuggled on a lawmaker's chair and fell asleep.

Justice Jefferson's older brother Lamont Jefferson led the San Antonio Bar Singers in an a cappella version of the National Anthem.

With a nearly full house sitting in the ornate Texas House chamber, Jefferson, with wife Rhonda at his side, was administered the oath of office by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

Jokes, poignant recollections and praise broke the somber tone during the 90-minute ceremony for Jefferson and Tom Phillips, whom Jefferson replaced as head of the nine-judge panel.

Scalia, introduced as one of the most controversial U.S. Supreme Court members and described as the "Arnold Schwarzenegger of American jurisprudence," drew a laugh when he said he hoped Jefferson stayed on the bench just as long as Phillips, to whom he also administered the oath of office 17 years ago.

Phillips, who at age 38 became the youngest chief justice in Texas history, stepped down earlier this year.

San Antonio attorney Tom Cross, who was Jefferson's law partner for a decade, praised Jefferson's devotion to the job and all-night briefing sessions, saying he "taught me by example, and it was his example that led me to adopt his buzz-cut hairstyle."

In his "swearing out" ceremony, Phillips said the all-Republican court "will face challenges about the future: issues of privacy, security, and responses to technology advances, including what it is to be human in the field of biotechnology."

First lady Anita Perry, standing in for the governor, termed Jefferson "a stellar appellate attorney" who twice argued, and won, cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Afterward, retired Air Force officer Bill Jefferson, the chief justice's father, noted with an emotion-filled voice, "Never, ever did I dream that an occasion like this would occur. This is a milestone for the state, but also for the many young boys behind him who will follow him as a role model."

ggarcia@express-news.net


TOPICS: Announcements; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: wallacebjefferson

(Tom Reel / Express-News)

New Texas Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson takes the oath of office Thursday from U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in the House Chambers at the State Capitol. Jefferson's wife, Rhonda, looks on.

1 posted on 11/12/2004 10:53:46 AM PST by SwinneySwitch
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To: MeekOneGOP; mhking

PING!


2 posted on 11/12/2004 10:59:14 AM PST by SwinneySwitch (W 1)
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To: SwinneySwitch

I am, as a Texan, very proud of this achievement.
Leslie


3 posted on 11/12/2004 11:04:28 AM PST by texasleslie (Phillipians 4:6)
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To: SwinneySwitch; texasleslie

The nations of the world should look upon this moment in Texas to truly understand the meaning of the United States of America.

Any human being, regardless of origin, is given the equal opportunity to achieve what he or she is capable of achieving.

There is no where else on earth where this is possible in in a form so pure as America.

It is a system that is worthy of envy and imitation.


4 posted on 11/12/2004 11:10:00 AM PST by Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit
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To: SwinneySwitch

Thank you for posting this. When I adopted Texas as my home state 27 years ago, I wouldn't have thought this momentous occasion would be possible. Texas is so much more complex, diverse, and advanced than what the east coast elite think of us. I was born in Boston, worked and lived in DC for 22 years and came to TX as soon as I could.

Do you come from or live in Swinney Switch. Great people live there.


5 posted on 11/12/2004 11:17:25 AM PST by PharthrRyte (Lurking and living in Lib/Dem South Texas)
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To: SwinneySwitch

God willing, the United States will also have a black Chief Justice when William Rehnquist retires: Clarence Thomas.


6 posted on 11/12/2004 11:19:33 AM PST by AuH2ORepublican (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice, moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)
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To: PharthrRyte

Live in the suburbs of Swinney Switch.;^)

Last Tuesday our vote was:

Bush 171
Kerry 20
Badnarik 3

Hope the early vote was even stronger for Bush!


7 posted on 11/12/2004 11:41:23 AM PST by SwinneySwitch (W 1)
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To: SwinneySwitch

Good riddance to Tom Phillips, the biggest RINO scalawag piece of trash in Texas government.


8 posted on 11/12/2004 5:49:28 PM PST by GOPcapitalist
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To: SwinneySwitch

I need some feedback. I am hoping and assuming that slimeball Democrat running for Supreme Court in Texas, David van Os, tied to Memogate was pounded in the general election. Tell me I'm correct.


9 posted on 11/12/2004 5:54:16 PM PST by johniegrad ('If only we smelled each other's a**, there wouldn't be any war.')
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To: MeekOneGOP; Dog Gone

Times, they be a changing in the Lone Star........


10 posted on 11/12/2004 6:05:55 PM PST by deport (I've done a lot things.... seen a lot of things..... Most of which I don't remember.)
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To: deport
This story got very little play, if any, in the national news. A black man is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in Texas.

Golly, I wonder if that would have been big news had he been a Democrat.

11 posted on 11/12/2004 6:10:04 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: johniegrad

Yes, I believe he was taken to the wood shed.


12 posted on 11/12/2004 6:10:43 PM PST by engrpat
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To: johniegrad

Further: Brister (r) 4,089,603; Van Os (d) 2,812,824


13 posted on 11/12/2004 6:15:02 PM PST by engrpat
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To: johniegrad

All Texas statewide elections were won by Republicans for the fifth straight election!


14 posted on 11/13/2004 5:45:34 AM PST by SwinneySwitch (W 1)
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To: Dog Gone

Yeah, they would have told of all the obstacles he overcame and how his family is so proud. Of course, being a ricchhh Republican with no social conscious, he'll just be a poodle to the real power brokers that wish to steal from the poor, trash the environment, and make war. Had he emigrated to kanada, the home of real tolerance and justice, he could have risen all the way up to dog catcher.:-)


15 posted on 11/13/2004 5:47:31 AM PST by GW and Twins Pawpaw (Sheepdog for Five [Clinton/Pelosi in '08!!!])
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To: deport
bump! bump! bump!

16 posted on 11/13/2004 7:07:25 AM PST by MeekOneGOP (There is only one GOOD 'RAT: one that has been voted OUT of POWER !! Straight ticket GOP!)
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To: johniegrad
This is official-I read it in "The Brackettville News"

Scott Brister...4,067,721

David Van Os...2,800,605

ol hoghead

17 posted on 11/13/2004 5:20:40 PM PST by ol' hoghead (I'm almost old enough to be unsure of almost everything.)
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