Second Court of Appeals

Justice Place 6

Richard Lee Brown (1981 to 1982)

Richard Lee Brown, the son of former justice Marvin H. Brown, was born on December 7, 1925, in Fort Worth, Texas.  After graduating from Paschal High School as his class valedictorian, he attended college at Rice University.  He then went on to earn his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of Texas and his Master of Laws (LL.M.) from George Washington University.

He began his legal career by serving as an Assistant District Attorney in Tarrant County from 1949 to 1950.  During the Korean War, he served in the infantry and as a first lieutenant at the Judge Advocate General’s Office at the Pentagon.  In 1953, he took a position as a Special Attorney in the Office of Chief Counsel, Internal Revenue Service.  In 1956, he returned to Fort Worth and entered private practice at the law firm of Friedman & Brown.  He remained in private practice until 1981, when he was appointed to a newly created seat on the Second Court of Appeals.  He returned to private practice in 1983 and was named the Chief of Civil Division of the Tarrant County District Attorney’s office in 1989.  After leaving the District Attorney’s office, he served as of counsel to the Bishop, Payne, Williams & Werley law firm in Fort Worth.

Brown was active in many civic organizations.  He served as the President of the Tarrant County Bar Association; the chairman of the Van Cliburn Piano Competition; the chairman of the board of the Fort Worth Public Housing Authority; director and secretary of Casa Manana; director of the Child Study Center; and director, vice president, and secretary of the Fort Worth Symphony Association.  He passed away on July 18, 2014.