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April 28, 2008
Texas Supreme Court Hears Cases in New Law Building
High court opens Texas Tech’s futuristic courtroom.
Written by Leslie Cranford
The technologically advanced courtroom is named for Donald Hunt, adjunct professor of law, appellate advocacy advisor and moot court competition coach for the school since 1974. Click to enlarge.
The Supreme Court of Texas inaugurated the Donald M. Hunt Courtroom in the new Mark & Becky Lanier Professional Development Center at the School of Law April 22, by hearing two cases.
Walter Huffman, dean of the law school, said to have the Texas Supreme Court opening the courtroom is an honor and a privilege for Texas Tech and for Lubbock.
"It is always an honor when our Supreme Court is willing to leave its Austin chambers and hear actual cases at our school for the educational benefit of our students," Huffman said.
"We are very grateful to Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson, Justice Phil Johnson, and the staff of the Supreme Court for making this wonderful event possible."
The first case was an appeal in a lawsuit contesting ownership of much of Padre Island, involving heirs of the nephew of the priest for whom the island was named. One of the principal issues in the appeal is whether time limits on filing a lawsuit bar the claim. The heirs argue their interest to the Padre Island land can be traced to 1830, when their ancestor took back the land from a previous sale. Watch 05-0653 Kerlin v. Sauceda.
The court also heard a case involving medical malpractice. Watch 07-0522 Benny P. Phillips, M.D. v. Bramlett.
Related
Justice Johnson, a law school alumnus and member of the Texas Tech Law Review, graduated with honors in 1975. He was appointed to the Texas Supreme Court in 2005 by Gov. Rick Perry. Johnson was serving as chief justice of the Seventh Court of Appeals in Amarillo at the time of his appointment. He was elected to the Seventh Court of Appeals in 1998 and was elected chief justice in 2002. He practiced law from 1975 until 1998 with the Lubbock law firm of Crenshaw, Dupree & Milam LLP. Photo by Artie Limmer.
Mark Lanier graduated from the School of Law in 1984. He is the founder of The Lanier Law Firm, where he is the lead litigation counselor, and is widely recognized as one of the top trial lawyers in the United States.
Lanier is well known as a national leader in VIOXX litigation since winning a $253 million verdict in the country's first VIOXX lawsuit in 2005, the largest VIOXX verdict in history. Photo by Artie Limmer.
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The Supreme Court of Texas is is the last resort for civil matters in the state.
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The Texas Supreme Court heard two cases at the Texas Tech School of Law. Click to enlarge.
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School of Law Opens New Mark & Becky Lanier Professional Development Center
Story produced by the Office of Communications and Marketing, (806) 742-2136. Photos courtesy of Zack Long, Lubbock Avalanche Journal.