78S30375 MDM-F

By:  Gallego                                                      H.R. No. 126



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Texans have a long and honored tradition of serving 
the state and each other, and certain notable Texas attorneys in 
private practice have continued that tradition by serving as 
special counsel to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct; and
	WHEREAS, Our legal system is based on the principle that an 
independent, fair, and competent judiciary will interpret and apply 
the laws that govern the people of Texas; further, the role of the 
judiciary is central to our concept of justice and the rule of law; 
and
	WHEREAS, In addition to representing their clients, lawyers 
are officers of the legal system and public citizens with special 
responsibility for upholding the quality of justice; lawyers, as 
guardians of the law, play a vital role in the preservation of 
society, and, as public citizens, lawyers seek to improve the law 
and the administration of justice; and
	WHEREAS, The State Commission on Judicial Conduct is 
constitutionally mandated to ensure that everyone appearing before 
the judges in this state can be confident that these 
decision-makers themselves comply with state and federal laws, as 
well as with the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct; to that end, the 
State Commission on Judicial Conduct is authorized to investigate 
allegations of judicial misconduct, issue appropriate sanctions in 
connection with its findings that a judicial officer has engaged in 
misconduct, and, if warranted, institute formal proceedings 
seeking the public censure, removal, or retirement of judges who 
willfully or persistently violate the laws and rules of this state; 
and
	WHEREAS, Since 2001, the following attorneys have made 
significant contributions to the State Commission on Judicial 
Conduct, the judiciary, and the people of Texas by serving as 
special counsel in connection with disciplinary proceedings before 
the State Commission on Judicial Conduct:  Rusty Hardin, Anthony 
Drumbeller, and Eric J. Davis of Houston; Edgar M. Duncan, Mark 
Greenwald, Robert E. Valdez, Frank R. Rivas, and Eduardo Guzman of 
San Antonio; Kirk Mills and David Horton of South Padre Island; and 
John J. "Mike" McKetta and Jennifer P. Johnson of Austin; further, 
these attorneys were assisted behind the scenes by talented support 
staff employed by their firms, making their extraordinary 
contributions to the state possible; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 78th Texas 
Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby publicly thank these 
attorneys and their staffs for their dedication and commitment to 
preserving the integrity of the judiciary and for their exemplary 
performance in protecting the public by providing thousands of 
hours of pro bono legal assistance to the State Commission on 
Judicial Conduct; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for these attorneys as an expression of high regard by the 
Texas House of Representatives.