By Villarreal H.C.R. No. 280 77R14139 MMS-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The death of the Honorable Carlos Cristian Cadena on 1-2 January 11, 2001, at the age of 83, brought a great loss to his 1-3 family and friends, but his indelible legacy will undoubtedly 1-4 continue to contribute to the well-being of this state for years to 1-5 come; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Born on October 11, 1917, Justice Cadena graduated 1-7 summa cum laude from The University of Texas School of Law, where 1-8 he was the student editor of the Texas Law Review, and then 1-9 embarked on a highly distinguished professional career as a private 1-10 attorney; and 1-11 WHEREAS, In 1954, in the United States Supreme Court, he won 1-12 a landmark civil rights case challenging the arbitrary and 1-13 systematic exclusion of Mexican Americans from jury service; over 1-14 the course of his career, he also argued cases that helped to 1-15 strike down restrictive covenants prohibiting the sale of real 1-16 estate to Mexican Americans and to eliminate discrimination against 1-17 Mexican American children in Texas public schools; and 1-18 WHEREAS, His diverse background included working as a 1-19 professor of law at St. Mary's University and as the city attorney 1-20 for the City of San Antonio; and 1-21 WHEREAS, Appointed to the Texas Fourth Court of Appeals in 1-22 1965, Justice Cadena was named chief justice of the court in 1977; 1-23 he served admirably in this prestigious post until his retirement 1-24 in 1990 and thereafter continued to work as a retired judge and 2-1 appellate lawyer; during his service on the bench he presided over 2-2 numerous important cases and authored far-reaching opinions that 2-3 defined and expanded the rights of Texas citizens; and 2-4 WHEREAS, In addition to advancing the cause of civil rights 2-5 through his work as an attorney and as a jurist, this notable Texan 2-6 helped to found MALDEF, the Mexican American Legal Defense and 2-7 Educational Fund, and served as its first national president; and 2-8 WHEREAS, Justice Cadena's enormous stature derived not only 2-9 from his legal brilliance and his leading role in the Mexican 2-10 American civil rights movement, but also from his remarkable 2-11 personal courage and integrity; so absolutely grounded was he in 2-12 these virtues that, in 1986, he triggered an investigation of 2-13 judicial favoritism that led to the unprecedented public reprimand 2-14 of other jurists; and 2-15 WHEREAS, Immensely gifted and utterly fearless, Justice 2-16 Cadena was cherished as well for his kindness, humility, and ready 2-17 sense of humor; although he will be deeply missed, his bright 2-18 spirit and deep commitment to fairness and justice will continue to 2-19 live on in the hearts of all whose lives he so deeply touched; now, 2-20 therefore, be it 2-21 RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-22 hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable Carlos Cristian 2-23 Cadena and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to 2-24 his wife, Gloria Villa Cadena; to his children, Mary Elizabeth 2-25 Galvan, Robert Galvan, Carmen Martin, Catherine Meaney, Rebecca 2-26 Galvan, Laura Galvan, Tracy Colborn, David Galvan, and Sara Katz; 2-27 to his 33 grandchildren; and to his many other relatives, friends, 3-1 and colleagues; and, be it further 3-2 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-3 prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas 3-4 House of Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in 3-5 memory of Justice Carlos Cristian Cadena.