On April 7, Supreme Court of Texas Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht spoke with FSU Law students over tea. After brief remarks, Justice Hecht invited students in attendance to ask questions. Among other topics, he addressed the differences between the Texas and Florida supreme courts, adjustments the Supreme Court of Texas made during the pandemic, judicial elections in Texas—including those for his court, his experiences in legal practice—including in the U.S. Navy Reserve Judge Advocate General Corps, and paths students can take if they want to enter public service. Justice Hecht was in Tallahassee to provide the keynote address at the Florida Supreme Court Historical Society’s event, “A Supreme Evening 2022.” We are very grateful he was able to visit with our students while he was here! Justice Hecht is the 27th chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas. He has been elected to the court seven times, first in 1988 as a justice, and as chief justice in 2014 and 2020. He is the longest-serving member of the court in Texas history and the longest-tenured Texas judge in active service. Justice Hecht has overseen revisions to the rules of administration, practice, and procedure in Texas courts, and is active in efforts to assure that Texans living below the poverty level, as well as others with limited means, have access to basic civil legal services.

Published on April 15, 2022