[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 22, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S5265]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       TRIBUTE TO HARRIET O'NEILL

 Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, on June 20, Texas Supreme Court 
Justice Harriet O'Neill retired after a judicial career of more than 17 
years. On behalf of the people of Texas, I would like to take this time 
to recognize her many accomplishments.
  After graduating with honors from the University of South Carolina 
School of Law and practicing for a decade in the field of complex 
business litigation, Justice O'Neill was elected to Texas' 152 District 
Court in 1992. On that court, her ability to conduct fair and impartial 
hearings was widely-recognized and won her the praise of lawyers on 
both sides of the civil bar.
  Less than 3 years later, Justice O'Neill's superior record in the 
district court earned her an appointment and subsequent election to 
Texas' 14 Court of Appeals. As an appeals court judge, she once again 
stood out from the crowd. In the words of her colleague, Judge David 
West, ``Harriet was considered one of the most reliable judges we had. 
. . She was absolutely flawless.''
  After earning a 91 percent approval rating from the Houston Bar 
Association, the highest on her nine-member court, the people of Texas 
elected Justice O'Neill to the Texas Supreme Court in 1998, where she 
served with honor ever since. In 2002, and again in 2006, the Texas 
Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists named her the 
Appellate Justice of the Year. Even more profoundly, in the case of 
TGS-NOPEC v. Combs, Justice O'Neill broke down a long-term barrier when 
she became the first woman ever elected to the Texas Supreme Court to 
preside as Chief Justice.
  As a Judge in the Texas Court System, Justice O'Neill has been a 
model for judicial restraint and faithfully interpreting the law, as 
written. Her opinions have consistently explained the law and the 
judicial role in a manner accessible to the general public. Clearly, 
she has provided an example for all judges to follow.
  Justice O'Neill's service to the State of Texas, however, has 
extended far beyond the courtroom doors. Most admirably, she has been 
an unwavering champion for the legal rights of our society's most 
vulnerable citizens.
  Since its inception in 2001, Justice O'Neill has been an active 
member of the Texas Access to Justice Commission. Through her work with 
this organization, she has helped to develop and implement initiatives 
designed to ensure that the court system is available to meet the basic 
legal needs of low-income Texans. In particular, she was heavily 
involved in creating and distributing a self-help Protective Order Kit 
that enables victims of domestic violence to file their own 
applications for court-ordered protection for themselves and their 
children. Because so many of our most important rights depend upon 
judicial enforcement, her efforts have ensured that countless Texans 
will be able to enjoy the equal justice under the law so central to the 
American dream.
  Justice O'Neill has also worked to protect Texas' most innocent and 
disadvantaged citizens through serving as the chairwoman of the 
Permanent Judicial Commission for Children, Youth and Families. After 
spearheading the creation of this commission in 2007, she has worked 
tirelessly to strengthen court practices in the Texas child-protection 
system. Thanks to her efforts, Texas' 30,000 abused and neglected 
foster children can rest assured that they will be able to look forward 
to a better tomorrow.
  Justice O'Neill's dedication to protecting the vulnerable has also 
been recognized at the national level. In 2006, she was appointed by 
Attorney General Alberto Gonzales to serve on the Department of 
Justice's National Advisory Committee on Violence Against Women. In 
this capacity, she assisted with the implementation of the Violence 
Against Women Act and supplied policy advice on programs addressing 
domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking. Because these crimes 
are so heinous and their victims are so defenseless, Justice O'Neill's 
work in this area is particularly important and praiseworthy.
  Although her professional accolades are impressive in their own 
right, Justice O'Neill's personal accomplishments are equally so. While 
devoting countless hours to serving the people of Texas, she has 
simultaneously managed to serve as a loving wife to her husband Kerry 
and a dedicated mother to her three children. Despite 17 years of full 
caseloads, she has found the time to stay actively involved with her 
family, including a tenure coaching her daughters' youth basketball 
teams. In this busy day and age, Justice O'Neill has provided all of us 
with an example of what it truly means to fulfill our duty.
  While June 20 marked the end of her service on the Texas Supreme 
Court, I have no doubt that Justice O'Neill will remain active in the 
causes that she cares so deeply about. On behalf of the people of 
Texas, I thank her for her many contributions. We can only hope that 
her next 17 years will be as remarkable.

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