The Texas Supreme Court Historical Society (TSCHS) is a
nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to the collection
and preservation of information, papers, photographs, and significant
artifacts relating to the Supreme Court and the appellate courts
of Texas. The Society sponsors scholarship relating to the
history of the Texas judiciary and furthers efforts to raise
public awareness about the judicial branch of government and
its role in the development of Texas. On behalf of the court,
the Society acts as conservator for the judicial portrait collection
and other paintings and valued historic items belonging to
the court.
Established in January 1990 on the Sesquicentennial of the
first session of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Texas,
the Society’s incorporation papers were filed with the Secretary
of State by three former Chief Justices: Robert Calvert, Joe
R. Greenhill and Jack Pope. The founding president, Judge
Jack Hightower, then serving as Justice on the Texas Supreme
Court, enlisted the support of the court for creating the Society
and procured the cooperation and assistance of the State Bar
of Texas.
Soon after its creation, the Society sponsored ceremonies
dedicating the new Price Daniel Sr. building in 1993 and the
renovations to the Tom Clark building in 1996.
Membership is open to all individuals, organizations, institutions,
and corporations interested in advancing the Society’s purposes.
Information about joining the Society is available under Get
Involved.
Officers
Chair:
Chair Emeritus:
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Chief Justice Jack Pope (Ret.)
Chief Justice Joe R. Greenhill (Ret.) |
| President: |
Mr. Larry P. McNeill |
| President Elect: |
Justice Craig T. Enoch (Ret.) |
| President Emeritus: |
Justice Jack Hightower (Ret.) |
| Secretary: |
Judge Bea Ann Smith |
| Treasurer: |
Mr. Andrew Weber |
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Mr. Larry McNeill is the 8th President of the Society.
Mr. Stephen Tipps is Immediate Past President.
Board of Trustees
Mr. Douglas W. Alexander
Prof. Maxwell Bloomfield
Justice Jeff Brown
Mr. Keith D. Calcote
Mr. William J. Chriss
Justice Murry B. Cohen (Ret.)
Ms. Berry Crowley
Judge Mark Davidson
Mr. J. Chrys Dougherty
Judge William L. Garwood
Judge Joseph H. Hart
Mr. Mike A. Hatchell
Ms. Robbi B. Hull
Ms. Karen R. Johnson
Mr. Darrell E. Jordan
Ms. Lynne Liberato
Mr. Steve McConnico
Mr. John B. McFarland
Prof. Joseph W. McKnight
Mr. W. Frank Newton
Mr. Mance Michael Park
Prof. James W. Paulsen
Mr. Richard Pena
Chief Justice Thomas R. Phillips (Ret.)
Mr. James B. Sales
Justice Bea Ann Smith (Ret.)
Mr. Charles L. Smith
Mr. Randall O. Sorrels
Justice Rose Spector (Ret.)
Ms. S. Shawn Stephens
Mr. Andrew Weber
Prof. Steven Harmon Wilson
Court Liaison
Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson
The members of the Board of Trustees are elected by the Society’s
general membership at their Annual Meeting held each October.
Trustees serve staggered three-year terms. To fill vacancies,
the Board of Trustees may elect interim appointees until the
general membership election.
Staff
Executive Director
Bill Pugsley was hired by Judge Joe R. Greenhill as the Society’s
third Executive Director effective March 1, 1999. A graduate
of Southern Methodist University, Pugsley received his Master's
degree in American Studies from the University of Texas at
Austin in May 1995. He was the founder and president of Texas
Information Network, a freelance historical research cooperative
based in Austin.
In that capacity he prepared historical research
for several dozen books written by authors from three countries.
Pugsley has written one book himself, along with three plays,
and numerous articles and papers; he has also conducted dozens
of oral history interviews and shot hundreds of photos documenting
historic sites. His finest production, bar none, was his son,
William Sean Pugsley, born December 2003 with some essential help from
his loving and patient wife, Margaret Schlankey, who is the
reading room supervisor at the UT Austin Center for American History.
Consulting Editor
Marilyn Duncan joined the staff as Consulting Editor for the History Book Project in October 2006. Before that she was Director of Communications and Publications at the University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ School of Public Affairs for more than twenty-five years. In addition to her contract work for the Society, she is a freelance publications consultant and editor for a number of organizations and faculty members.
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