To commemorate the 120th anniversary of the 1st Court of Appeals, a three-judge panel of the Houston-based court will hear arguments tomorrow in Galveston, the first home of the court.
The 1st Court opened in Galveston on Oct. 3, 1892, and moved to Houston in 1957. That translates to 65 years in Galveston and 55 in Houston.
Justices Terry Jennings, Laura Carter Higley and Jim Sharp will hear arguments in Bill Johnson, et al. v. BP Products North America Inc., a suit initially filed in the 10th District Court in Galveston. The panel will hold court in the jury assembly room of the Galveston County Courthouse.
“It just seemed like an opportune time to go back to where the court started,” says M. Karinne McCullough, clerk of the court.
Jennings says the court has held oral argument in outlying counties on a number of occasions in recent years.
“We are in the public justice division, and getting out to the different counties is a good idea because it does give people opportunity to see an appellate court in action,” he says. “It’s kind of a big deal.”
Higley says it’s significant that the Galveston arguments are on Oct. 3, which is a regular argument day for the court but also the actual 120th anniversary of the opening of the court.
— Brenda Sapino Jeffreys
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