The Honorable William Wayne Justice 1920 – 2009

The Justice Center is named in honor of Judge William Wayne Justice ’42, who showed a remarkable commitment to public service for over fifty years. Judge Justice was born in 1920 in Athens, Texas and received his undergraduate and law degrees from The University of Texas. He served in the United States Army before returning to east Texas. He served as City Attorney in Athens and as the U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Texas before being appointed to the federal bench in 1968 by President Lyndon Johnson.

Judge Justice worked courageously to protect civil rights, uphold constitutional freedoms, and ensure equal justice for all. His landmark rulings safeguarded the rights of minorities, the poor, and the politically powerless in many areas. These decisions addressed race discrimination in schools and housing, inhumane treatment in facilities, the dilution of voting rights, inadequate education for immigrant and non-English speaking children, and the unnecessary institutionalization of the developmentally disabled.

William Wayne Justice Bibliography

• The William Wayne Justice Papers at Tarlton Law Library
• Concerning Judge Justice
• Writings of William Wayne Justice
• Selected Opinions/Orders

William Wayne Justice In Memoriam

• Judge Justice: Obituaries and Tributes
• The Hon. Keith P. Ellison, U.S. District Judge, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Eulogy for the Hon. William Wayne Justice (October 19, 2009)
• Heather K. Way, Lecturer, The University of Texas School of Law, Eulogy for the Hon. William Wayne Justice (October 19, 2009)