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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Honorable Alfred H. Bennett was nominated as |
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United States district judge for the Houston Division of the |
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Southern District of Texas by President Barack Obama, and his |
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appointment was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on April 13, 2015; and |
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WHEREAS, From 2009 until his confirmation, Judge Bennett |
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served as presiding judge for the 61st Civil District Court of |
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Texas; he also served as the administrative judge for the Harris |
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County Civil District Courts in 2010-2011, having been elected |
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unanimously by his colleagues as the first African American, first |
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Democrat, and youngest-tenured judge to hold that position; and |
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WHEREAS, Judge Bennett completed his bachelor's degree in |
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political science at the University of Houston and went on to |
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graduate from The University of Texas School of Law in 1991; he was |
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employed by Fulbright and Jaworski and then by Solar and Fernandes |
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before establishing a solo litigation practice in 1998; for 10 |
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years, he taught trial advocacy as an adjunct professor at the |
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Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University; and |
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WHEREAS, Dedicated to the advancement of the legal system, |
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Judge Bennett is very involved in continuing legal education as a |
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presenter and judicial panel member, and he has benefited his |
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profession in a host of leadership roles; he currently serves the |
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State Bar of Texas as commissioner of the Texas Access to Justice |
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Commission and as chair of its Strategic Planning Committee, and he |
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is a member of the College of the State Bar; in addition, he is a |
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member of the Houston Bar Association Administration of Justice |
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Committee and of the National Bar Association Gertrude E. Rush |
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Mid-Year Planning Committee; he served on the National Bar |
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Association Constitution and Bylaws Committee, and he held several |
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offices in the State Bar Committee on Lawyer Referral and |
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Information Services; moreover, he served the Houston Lawyers |
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Association as president and chair; and |
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WHEREAS, Alfred Bennett has distinguished himself on the |
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bench and through his outstanding contributions to the legal |
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community, and he is indeed deserving of the confidence placed in |
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him by the United States president and senate; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the Honorable Alfred H. Bennett on |
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his appointment and confirmation as United States district judge |
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for the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas and |
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extend to him sincere best wishes as he takes up his new |
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responsibilities; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Judge Bennett as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |