Court History
Justices of the Republic of Texas, 1836 – 1845
The Constitution of the Republic of Texas provided for a Supreme Court to consist of a Chief Justice and Associate Justices. The Associate Justices were the Judges of the eight district courts of Texas. The District Judges, whose first session was January 13, 1840, served with the Chief Justice as Associate Justices from January 13, 1840, to December 29, 1845, when Texas was admitted into the United States.
Chief Justices
- James Collinsworth (December 1836 - July 1838)
- John Birdsall (November 1838 - December 1838)
- Thomas J. Rusk (December 1838 - December 1840)
- John Hemphill (December 1840 - December 1845)
John Birdsall, Chief Justice November-December, 1838. Photo: TSLAC.
John Hemphill, Chief Justice 1840-1845. Photo: TSLAC.
Associate Justices
- R. E. B. Baylor
- E. T. Branch
- George W. Terrell
- John M. Hansford
- Anderson Hutchinson
- Patrick C. Jack
- John B. Jones
- William E. Jones
- William J. Jones
- John T. Mills
- Richard Morris
- M. P. Norton
- William B. Ochiltree
- J. W. Robinson
- Richardson A. Scurry
- Anthony B. Shelby