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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Honorable Bonnie Leggat Hagan of Marshall |
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concluded a distinguished 20-year judicial career with her |
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retirement on December 30, 2008, from the 71st District Court; and |
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WHEREAS, After serving from 1980 to 1985 as a Harrison County |
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assistant prosecutor, Judge Leggat Hagan was appointed by Governor |
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Mark White as Harrison County district attorney; with her selection |
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to that post, she became the first woman to serve as district |
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attorney in the State of Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Judge Leggat Hagan made history again in 1987 when |
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she won election as the first woman to preside over the 71st |
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District Court; among the many new court programs instituted during |
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her tenure on the bench were two of immeasurable value to children: |
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Kid Safe and CASA; Kid Safe, which Judge Leggat Hagan was |
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instrumental in initiating and developing, is designed to help |
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divorcing parents foster their children's emotional health during |
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times of stress; Judge Leggat Hagan's court was the first in Texas |
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to adopt the program, which has now been implemented in every other |
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county in the state; the second major effort to benefit youth, CASA, |
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provides volunteer advocates for abused and neglected children; the |
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Harrison County CASA program was established in 2007 and is |
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expected to expand into Marion and Panola Counties within the next |
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two years; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed jurist has served on the Supreme Court |
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Task Force on Rules of Discovery, delivered presentations and |
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authored papers on various legal topics, and served as a speaker and |
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panel member for continuing legal education programs; and |
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WHEREAS, Deeply involved in her community, Judge Leggat Hagan |
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has been a board member for the Boys and Girls Clubs of East Texas |
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and for Harrison County CASA, as well as Caddo District troop chair |
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for the Boy Scouts of America; she is a founding board member of the |
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Marshall-Harrison County Literacy Council and an elder and deacon |
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of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church; and |
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WHEREAS, Since stepping down from the bench, Judge Leggat |
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Hagan has joined her husband, James Richard Hagan, in private |
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practice; the couple are the proud parents of two sons, David Roth |
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and Samuel Joseph; and |
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WHEREAS, In her capacity as a district judge, Bonnie Leggat |
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Hagan exemplified the highest standards of her profession and |
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earned the appreciation and high regard of countless fellow |
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citizens; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Bonnie Leggat Hagan for her outstanding |
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service as judge of the 71st District Court and extend to her |
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sincere best wishes for continued success in all her endeavors; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Judge Leggat Hagan as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |