Education
Howard University; University of Chicago.
Howard University; University of Chicago.
Initially elected to a six-year term, in November 2002, to replace Deborah Hankinson, he was reelected, in 2008, to a second term that would have ended, in December 2014. On September 30, 2012, Wainwright officially resigned from the Texas Supreme Court after nearly a decade of service. He subsequently joined the Austin office of the law firm Bracewell and Giuliani.
His successor on the court, effective December 3, 2012, was Jeffrey South. Boyd, a former chief of staff to Texas governor Rick Perry.
Boyd was appointed by Perry to finish Wainwright"s term. Wainwright graduated summa cum laude with a major in economics from Howard University, studied at the London School of Economics as a Luard Scholar during his junior year, and received his Juris Doctor from the University of Chicago Law School.
Wainwright was appointed a district judge of the 334th civil court of Harris County in 1999 by governor George West. Bush, where he served until his election to the supreme court. 2002 election
Wainwright and Wallace B. Jefferson were the first African Americans to be elected to the Texas Supreme Court.
Like all justices on the state supreme court, Wainwright was a Republican.
2008 election
In 2008, Wainwright sought his first reelection to the court. Wainwright was reelected to a new six-year term with 51 percent of the vote to Houston"s 45 percent. Libertarian candidate David G. Smith received 3 percent.