Samuel Pessarra Outstanding Jurist Award
In 1987, the Texas Bar Foundation created the Outstanding Jurist Award to honor an active Federal or State Judge. In 1995, the Foundation received a bequest to the endowment from the estate of Mrs. Samuel Pessarra in honor of her late husband for the purpose of funding the Outstanding Jurist Award. The award was renamed the Samuel Pessarra Outstanding Jurist Award in 1995.
Samuel Pessarra, a native of Quintana, attended Baylor University and Baylor University School of Law. Mr. Pessarra was a member of the Brazoria County Bar Association, where he served as president, director and secretary.
Criteria
Nominees must currently be serving as an active Federal or State Judge. Retired judges or judges of senior status are eligible if they continue to be active on the bench. The nominee must have served on the bench for a minimum of 10 years and exhibit an exceptionally outstanding reputation for competency, efficiency and integrity. The nominee may not be opposed while standing for election or re-election during the year in which the award is given.
Recipients of the Samuel Pessarra Outstanding Jurist Award
1987 Judge Solomon Casseb, Jr., San Antonio
1988 Judge Frank G. Evans III, Houston
Judge Charles J. Murray, Fort Worth
1989 Judge Peter S. Solito, Houston
Judge Halbert O. Woodward, Lubbock
1990 Judge Roland C. Vaughan, Sherman
1991 Judge Thomas M. Reavley, Austin
1992 Judge B.B. Schraub, Seguin
1993 Judge R.W. Lawrence, Palestine
Judge Filemon B. Vela, Brownsville
1994 Judge Weldon Kirk, Sweetwater
Judge Austin McCloud, Eastland
1995 Judge Eric Andell, Houston
Judge Tom McDonald, Bryan
1996 Judge Charles Reynolds, Amarillo
1997 Judge I. Allan Lerner, Galveston
1998 Judge Eldon B. Mahon, Fort Worth
1999 Chief Justice William J. Cornelius, Texarkana
2000 Judge John T. Forbis
2001 Judge Guadalupe Rivera, El Paso
2002 Judge Merrill Hartman, Dallas
2003 Chief Justice John T. Boyd, Amarillo
2004 Judge George P. Kazen, Laredo
2005 Justice Ann C. McClure, El Paso
2006 Judge Mary Lou Robinson, Amarillo
2007 Judge David Peeples, San Antonio
2008 Judge Jane J. Boyle, Dallas
2009 Judge Wilford Flowers, Austin
2010 Judge Keith P. Ellison, Houston
2011 Judge Ewing Werlein, Jr., Houston
2012 Judge Lee Yeakel, Austin
2013 Justice Tracy Christopher, Houston
2014 Judge Dean Rucker, Midland
2015 Justice Anne Gardner, Fort Worth
2016 Judge Andrew S. Hanen, Brownsville
2017 Justice Elizabeth Lang Miers, Dallas
2018 Justice Phil Johnson, Austin
2019 Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn, Dallas
2020 Chief Justice Sandee Bryan Marion, Fourth Court of Appeals, San Antonio
2021 Judge Xavier Rodriguez, San Antonio
2022 Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht, Austin
2023 Judge Simeon T. Lake III, Houston
2024 Judge Fred Biery, San Antonio