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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Honorable Patrick Sebesta is retiring from the |
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239th District Court when his term expires in December 2022, |
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drawing to a close a notable career on the bench that has spanned |
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nearly a quarter century; and |
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WHEREAS, Judge Sebesta was first elected to the County Court |
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at Law No. 2 and Probate of Brazoria County in 1998, and in 2002, he |
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was elected to the 239th District Court, where he has since presided |
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over civil and felony criminal cases; over the course of his |
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exemplary 24-year tenure as a judge, he has played a leading role in |
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the creation of Brazoria County's first Drug Court program, and |
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since 2012, he has overseen the Success Through Education and |
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Participation (STEP) drug court and the Recommit to Recovery |
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program; he has also served as the local administrative judge and as |
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a member of the Brazoria County Juvenile Board and the Board of |
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Criminal Judges of Brazoria County; and |
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WHEREAS, A leader in his profession, Judge Sebesta was chair |
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of the Judicial Education Committee of the American Probation and |
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Parole Association, and in 2019, he was appointed by the presiding |
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judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to serve on the |
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Judiciary Advisory Council, which provides guidance to the |
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Community Justice Assistance Division and the Texas Board of |
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Criminal Justice; and |
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WHEREAS, This distinguished jurist is a member of the State |
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Bar of Texas and the Brazoria County Bar Association, and he is a |
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Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation; before becoming a judge, he |
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maintained a private practice in Angleton and served as assistant |
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district attorney of Brazoria County; and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Judge Sebesta has benefited |
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from the love and support of his wife of 31 years, Shannon Gayle |
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Sebesta, as well as that of his five children, Patrick, William, |
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Christopher, Annabelle, and John; and |
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WHEREAS, Judge Sebesta's dedication, integrity, and |
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commitment to justice have greatly benefited the citizens of |
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Brazoria County and earned him the respect and admiration of his |
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peers, and he may indeed reflect with pride on a career well spent |
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as he looks forward to the next exciting chapter of his life; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate Judge Patrick Sebesta on his |
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retirement from the 239th District Court and extend to him sincere |
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best wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Judge Sebesta as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |