Nathan Hecht
| Nathan Hecht | |
 | |
| Current Court Information: | |
| Texas Supreme Court | |
| Title: | Justice |
| Position: | Place 6 |
| Service: | |
| Active: | 1989 - 2018 |
| Past position: | Fifth District Court of Appeals Judge |
| Past term: | 1986 - 1989 |
| Personal History | |
| Born: | 1949 |
| Party: | Republican |
| Undergraduate: | Yale University |
| Law School: | Southern Methodist University School of Law |
| Candidate 2012: | |
| Candidate for: | Supreme Court |
| State: | Texas |
| Election information 2012: | |
| Incumbent: | Yes |
| Primary date: | May 29, 2012 |
| Primary vote: | 100% |
| Election date: | November 6, 2012 |
| Election vote: | 53.7% |
Contents |
Nathan L. Hecht is a justice of the Texas Supreme Court. Hecht was elected to the court in 1988 and took office on January 1, 1989. He was re-elected in 1994,[1] 2000 [2] 2006 and 2012.[3] Hecht is currently the most senior justice of the court. His current term ends in 2018.[4]
Education
Hecht received his B.A. in Philosophy from Yale University and his law degree from Southern Methodist University School of Law.[5]
Career
Hecht clerked for Judge Roger Robb of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. He has served as lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve, worked in private practice, and from 1981 to 1986, served on the 95th District Court. In 1986, he was elected to the Texas Fifth District Court of Appeals, where he remained until he was elected to the Texas Supreme Court. [4]
Awards and Associations
- 1984 Outstanding Young Lawyer, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers
- Member, American Law Institute
- Member, Texas Philosophical Society
- Fellow, Texas Bar Association
- Fellow, American Bar Association
- Advisory Board, S.M.U. Law Review [4]
2012 election
Hecht ran unopposed in the Republican primary on May 29. He defeated Michele Petty, Mark Ash and Jim Chisholm in the November 6, 2012 general election with 53.7% of the vote (99.88% of precincts reporting).[6][7] [8]
- See also: Texas judicial elections, 2012
| “ | This race is important to preserve experience and leadership on the Supreme Court of Texas. For 23 years, I have followed the law fairly and consistently and helped develop rules of practice and administration to reduce the expense and delay of going to court. I have also worked to obtain critical funding for legal services, trying to assure that Texas’ poorest citizens have access to the justice system. If elected, I will continue to work for more efficient courts and better access to justice.[9] -Nathan Hecht |
” |
In the News
Miers controversy and aftermath
In May 2006, Justice Hecht was disciplined by the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct for "an improper use of his office and position to promote Miers's private interest" during the nomination; a three-judge panel exonerated Hecht of the charge after he appealed the decision." The New York Times reported that Justice Hecht assured the Arlington Group, a group of Christian Conservatives, of Harriet Miers' pro-life views. At the time, Miers was nominated to be an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Refunding legal fees
In March 2007, Hecht said that he had asked Texas representative Tony Goolsby to propose a bill that would make the state reimburse his $340,000 legal fees. [10] Goolsby withdrew the bill after learning that Hecht had already been reimbursed for the bill through "donations." Hecht defended his position by saying, “Here is the problem: If judges are sanctioned like this and it’s unjust and it’s wrong and they want to prove it, they can represent themselves or hire a lawyer that you can’t pay for on a judge’s salary.” He is paid $152,500 each year.[11]
Ethics violation
While working to remove the misconduct sanction imposed on him by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct (due to his support for Harriet Miers), Justice Hecht accrued a bill of $340,000. Ethics violations were charged against him as he received $100,000[12] to pay for the bill by Texas Firm, Jackson Walker - Walker appears frequently before the Texas Supreme Court. Moreover, these allegations extend to other Texas law firms along with Jackson Walker, that provided Hecht with $447,000 to cover his Miers bills as Hecht sided favorably with those firms he solicited and from where he received moneys.[13]
In January 2008, Texas Watch filed a complaint against Justice Hecht on the grounds that he illegally paid for personal travel with political donations; the watchdog organization cited a report from the Texas Ethic Commission that Justice Hecht spent $10,000 from his campaign to fund in-state flights. Even though Justice Hecht will not be up for re-election until 2012, Hecht defended his actions as the trips home were for campaigning purposes. Two other Texas Supreme Court justice are now under investigation for similar matters as well: Justice David Medina and Justice Paul Green.[14][15]
External links
- The Supreme Court of Texas, Justice Nathan L. Hecht
- Project Vote Smart, Justice Nathan L. Hecht (TX)
- Nathan L. Hecht on Twitter
- Legal Newsline, "Texan attorney donors to SC Justice hit 8-for-9 after:watchdog", July 18, 2007
References
- ↑ 1994 election results see 1994 General Election results
- ↑ 2000 election results see 2000 General Election results
- ↑ 2006 election results see 2006 General Election results
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 The Supreme Court of Texas, Justice Nathan L. Hecht
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, Justice Nathan L. Hecht (TX)
- ↑ Texas Secretary of State: 2012 General Election Summary Select "2012 General Election"
- ↑ Texas Republican Party, Candidates for Justice, Supreme Court
- ↑ Nathan Hecht Campaign website
- ↑ Information submitted to Judgepedia by Justice Hecht's campaign via email on 9/27/2012
- ↑ KXTX.com, "Texas Supreme Court Justice Wants State To Pay Legal Fees", March 9, 2007
- ↑ Texas Judges' Salaries
- ↑ Did Justice Nathan Hecht Break the Law? Complaints Allege Violations of Penal Code, Election Code, and Judicial Canons
- ↑ Texan attorney donors to SC Justice hit 8-for-9 after: watchdog
- ↑ "Complaints Filed Against Hecht, Medina for Travel Violations", Texas Watch press release, January 24, 2008
- ↑ "Supreme Court Justice Paul Green Breaks State Ethics Law", Texas Watch press release, January 22, 2008
