| H.R. No. 1244 | ||
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| WHEREAS, The Honorable Mario E. Ramirez, Jr., of McAllen is | ||
| being presented with the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award by the | ||
| Hidalgo County Bar Association on May 7, 2009; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Judge Ramirez has presided over the 332nd District | ||
| Court since the creation of that court in 1983; he earlier served as | ||
| judge of the 93rd District Court, as judge of Hidalgo County Court | ||
| at Law No. 2, and as an assistant municipal court judge in McAllen; | ||
| earlier in his career, he worked as an attorney for the Texas | ||
| Department of Public Welfare before establishing a solo practice in | ||
| McAllen, where he also served as an attorney for the Pharr-San | ||
| Juan-Alamo Independent School District; and | ||
| WHEREAS, A former director and president of the Hidalgo | ||
| County Bar Association, Judge Ramirez has also taken a leading role | ||
| in the State Bar of Texas, serving on the board of directors, on a | ||
| committee to ensure the representation of the poor in civil | ||
| matters, and on a task force to ensure the continuation of court | ||
| operations throughout the state in the event of an emergency; in | ||
| addition, he has served on a committee charged by the Fifth | ||
| Administrative Judicial Region of Texas with setting the | ||
| qualifications for appointment as counsel in death penalty cases | ||
| and with evaluating the eligibility of attorneys for such an | ||
| appointment; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Deeply committed to public service, Judge Ramirez | ||
| has helped guide the Mental Health Association in Texas as a member | ||
| of its board, and he has held membership in the Texas Council on | ||
| Offenders with Mental Impairments; in addition, since 1982 he has | ||
| served as the overseer of the Hidalgo County Juvenile Probation | ||
| Department; in recognition of his longtime efforts to address | ||
| issues related to juvenile offenders, a newly constructed | ||
| preadjudication facility in Edinburg was dedicated as the Judge | ||
| Mario E. Ramirez, Jr., Juvenile Justice Center in March 2008; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Born in Roma, Judge Ramirez is a 1968 graduate of Rio | ||
| Grande City High School; he received his bachelor's degree from the | ||
| University of Notre Dame in 1972 and his law degree from St. Mary's | ||
| University in 1974; and | ||
| WHEREAS, For more than three decades, this distinguished | ||
| jurist has embodied the highest standards of his profession and | ||
| rendered immeasurable service to his community; now, therefore, be | ||
| it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas | ||
| Legislature hereby congratulate the Honorable Mario E. Ramirez, | ||
| Jr., on his receipt of the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award from the | ||
| Hidalgo County Bar Association and extend to him sincere | ||
| appreciation for his significant contributions to the Lone Star | ||
| State; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
| prepared for Judge Ramirez as an expression of high regard by the | ||
| Texas House of Representatives. | ||
| Gonzales | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 1244 was adopted by the House on April | ||
| 23, 2009, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||