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H.R. No. 191
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
Drumheller, 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.
Gallego
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 191 was adopted by the House on
October 10, 2003, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House