On Dec. 5, Chief Justice Nathan Hecht presided over oral arguments for the last time. The last case argued was Seward v. Santander, a premises liability issue involving the shooting death of a Dallas police officer.

The courtroom crowd was not the usual mix of attorneys and parties with cases before the court. Included in the throng were 17 former justices and chief justices of the court, all there to honor Hecht's service and contributions to the judiciary.