H.R. No. 1318

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Houston attorney Bobby Caldwell has been fighting injustice and representing the disadvantaged for nearly half a century; and

WHEREAS, A graduate of what is now the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University, Mr. Caldwell was accepted into the Texas Bar in 1962; the following year he opened his first practice with attorney Clarence Coleman in Houston; and

WHEREAS, During the tumultuous days of the 1960s, Mr. Caldwell represented several activist clients in controversial cases; he defended members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee at The University of Texas at Austin who were accused of inciting a riot as well as students at the University of Houston who had been arrested after rallying in support of a fellow student; and

WHEREAS, In perhaps his most famous case, Mr. Caldwell represented SNCC activist Lee Otis Johnson, whose sentence of 30 years drew widespread protests of unfair treatment; Mr. Caldwell's appeal of the conviction resulted in the overturn of his client's sentence in federal court; and

WHEREAS, In the years since, Mr. Caldwell has gone on to defend other African American civil rights activists; throughout his career, he has been a champion for equality and justice in the criminal, civil, and family courts of Texas, and his commitment and passion continue to inspire all who know him; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 80th Texas Legislature honor the achievements of Bobby Caldwell and extend to him best wishes for the future; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Mr. Caldwell as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.

Dutton

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 1318 was adopted by the House on April 10, 2007, by a non-record vote.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House