Inadmissible

On Oct. 23, Gov. Rick Perry announced his appointment of Carolyn Wright as chief justice of the 5th Court of Appeals in Dallas, effective Oct. 31. Wright, an associate justice at the 5th Court for the past 14 years, is the first African-American to serve as chief justice of any intermediate appellate court in Texas. She replaces Chief Justice Linda Thomas , who retired. In her judicial career, Wright has followed in Thomas’ footsteps. After Thomas left Dallas’ 256th District Court when she was elected to a 5th Court associate justice spot in 1986, Wright was elected to that trial court bench. When Thomas was elected chief justice of the 5th Court in 1995, then-Gov. George W. Bush appointed Wright to replace Thomas as an associate justice. Wright says, “It’s really very humbling and personally gratifying to be rewarded like this after almost 25 years in the judiciary.” Wright says she is looking forward to the start of e-filing at the 5th Court and other advances in technology that will increase courts’ efficiency and the administration of justice. “My major goal is always to further the cause of justice,” she says. Art Anthony , president of the J.L. Turner Legal Association in Dallas and a partner in Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell , says Wright’s appointment is “fantastic news.” Anthony says, “It is significant and historic not only for Justice Wright individually but for the state of Texas. . . . I think it’s great.” Wright’s appointment will expire after the 2010 general election.

Nixing AG Run

State Rep. Dan Branch , R-Dallas, announced last week that he will seek re-election to his District 108 House seat, not election as Texas attorney general. According to a press release from Branch’s campaign, he received widespread support to run for AG in 2010. Branch, a shareholder in Winstead , writes in the release, “While the prospects for a successful run looked good, with only a month to go now until filing, the prospect of an open seat appears unlikely.” Attorney General Greg Abbott , a Republican, has been contemplating a run for higher office but has yet to announce his plans. Also last week, Barbara Ann Radnofsky , a Houston lawyer and mediator who says she is the only Democrat who has announced her candidacy for AG so far, launched her new Web site for her campaign. Radnofsky, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in 2006, announced June 23 that she would run for AG in 2010.

Team Effort Exonerates Two Men