John P. Devine

John Devine is a Justice on the Supreme Court of Texas. Devine defeated incumbent David Medina in the July 31, 2012, run-off. Devine ran without a Democratic Party opponent and won election in the November 6, 2012, general election.[1] His term began in December 2012.

Devine graduated from South Texas College of Law in 1986.[2]

Before being elected to the Texas Supreme Court, Devine was the district judge for the 190th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas from 1995 through 2002. He was a special judge to the Harris County Justice of the Peace Courts from 2002 through 2011. He also served on the Harris County Juvenile Board, Harris County Juvenile Justice School Board, Board of Civil District Judges, Texas Association of State Judges and American Judges Association.

In 2004, Devine was sued by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) for refusing to take down a painting of the Bible in his Harris County courtroom. A federal district court ordered the Bible's removal. Upon appeal, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the lower court's ruling, and ordered the image's permanent removal.[3][4][5]

He is married to Nubia Piedad Gomez, formerly of Venezuela. They had seven children, four boys and three girls. Their youngest daughter died shortly after birth.[6]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.supreme.courts.state.tx.us/court/justice_dmedina.asp
  2. ↑ http://www.texasbar.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Find_A_Lawyer&template=/Customsource/MemberDirectory/MemberDirectoryDetail.cfm&ContactID=165612
  3. ↑ Appeals Court Rules Against Bible Display At Texas Courthouse October 2006. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  4. ↑ 5th Circuit upholds Bible removal from courthouse First Amendment Center. October 2006. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  5. ↑ Bible display unconstitutional Houston Chronicle. August 16, 2006. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  6. ↑ http://www.voicesempower.com/truth-v-fiction-judge-john-devine-v-medina/