Background

Summers, James William was born on July 8, 1914 in Rusk, Texas, United States. Son of James Lee and Constance (Rook) Summers.

Education

Bachelor of Business Administration, University Texas, 1937. Juris Doctor, University Texas, 1937. Graduate, Institute Juvenile Court Management.

Graduate, National College State Judiciary.

Career

Private practised, Rusk, 1937—1956. City attorney, 1937—1941. County attorney Cherokee County, 1941—1942, 1947—1948.

County judge, 1949—1956. Judge 2d Judicial District Texas, Rusk, 1957—1978. Chief justice Court Appeals 12th Supreme Judicial District Texas, Tyler, from 1978.

Director Southwestern Title & Guaranty Company First State Bank, 1937—1978. Partner Summers and Summers, land, cattle, timber. Faculty, Texas College judiciary, 1975—1976.

Director Civil Defense, Cherokee County, 1949—1956. Member Cherokee County Heritage Association, Cherokee Civic Theatre. Member advisory council Criminal Justice Program, Stephen F. Austin University.

Vice chairman Rusk Housing Сorporation. Chairman Nacogdoches-Cherokee Counties Probation Board. Board directors East Texas area council Boy Scouts American, East Texas Regional Cancer Center, Rusk Industrial Foundation, Rusk United Way, Rusk Bicentennial Commission.

Board directors, executive committee Rusk Civic Service, Inc. Served as lieutenant United States Naval Reserve, 1942-1946.

Achievements

• Bar: United States Supreme Court bar, Texas bar 1937.

Works

• Other Work

  • Contributor to professional publications.

Politics

The state cannot control the church, nor should the church attempt to dominate the state. However, religious expression should be present in public life.

Views

Methodist member is very much a folk theologian who should speak 'plain truth to plain people'.

Membership

Fellow: Texas Bar Foundation (life). Member: Beta Gamma Sigma, American Legion, Cherokee County History Commission (director), Texas State History Foundation, Texas Farm Bureau Federation, Rusk Chamber of Commerce (chairman government affairs committee), University Texas Ex-Students Association (executive council Austin, past president Cherokee County alumni club), East Texas Aberdeen-Angus associations, National Conference State Trial Judges, State Bar Texas (member nominating committee judicial section, vice chairman juvenile judges continuing legal education committee), Smith County Bar Association, Cherokee Bar Association, East Texas Bar Association, American Bar Association, American Judicature Society, Willow Brook Country (Tyler), Masons (Shriners), Kiwanis, Willow Brook Country, Phi Delta Theta (vice president East Texas alumni), Phi Eta Sigma, Phi Delta Phi.

Connections

Married Inez Thompson Steed, November 22, 1969. Children: Julia Ann, Raymond C. Steed.

father:

James Lee Summers

mother:

Constance (Rook) Summers

spouse:

Inez Thompson Steed

child:

Raymond C. Steed Summers

child:

Julia Ann Summers