Home > Talk of Lufkin > Archives > 2009 > October > 14 > Entry
Judge William Wayne Justice dies at 89
From the Associated Press:
U.S. District Judge William Wayne Justice, whose rulings led to sweeping prison reforms and widespread desegregation of public schools in Texas, has died. He was 89. Justice was born in Athens, Texas, on Feb. 25, 1920. He was 7 when his trial attorney father put the child’s name on the law firm’s shingle. Justice, in a 1985 interview with AP, said: “I love the law. I’ve been with the law all of my life. I was born and bred with the law.”
Comments
By stop & think
October 14, 2009 10:14 AM | Link to this
A great example of why judges should not have a lifetime appointment. This cat was a nut-job from the very beginning! An ultra-liberal, do-gooder who loved to legislate from the bench. I, for one, will not miss this lunatic. Good riddance!
By yeppers
October 14, 2009 3:05 PM | Link to this
While I agree with stop & think’s opinion that federal judges should not be appointed for life, and I do not agree with Judge Justice’s stand on several issues, I think he does deserve some respect. The man did what he thought was right in his conscience, and did not waver in his opinions much like some so-called conservatives do today. Some of the reforms Justice implemented were necessary.
The state prison system was in such poor condition before Justice stepped in. And who today will argue that integration was not the morally right thing to do? Did he go too far, especially in the Ruiz vs. Estelle case regarding TDC? Absolutely. But, I believe his concern was genuine.
While I believe he went too far, his death is no cause to cast aspersions at the dead. May he rest in peace, and may he find the justice and mercy of God his at his death.
By concernedtaxpayer
October 14, 2009 3:27 PM | Link to this
I agree, while I’m not well versed in the followings of Judge Justice, some sense of empathy and respect at the loss his family and his followers are going through should be observed.
That is one of the many things I love about this state. When traveling on our public roads and encounter a funeral procession the majority of our citizens pull over to pay their respects. They do not ask or question whether the deceased was a liberal or conservative, white or black, man or woman just simply pay their respects and move on.
There is no need to question or condemn what someone has done with their life at the end of it.
By ralph
October 14, 2009 3:46 PM | Link to this
i hope he leaves all of his millions to the poor and prison system since he felt it was his calling to take care of them… of course its easy when your using other peoples money.
By Vagrant
October 14, 2009 3:56 PM | Link to this
Stop and Stink: Just what I would expect for a racist and a Republican…racist and Republican one and the same…if it wasn’t for the “liberal” side of the law, the police could knock your door down without probable cause and with out a warrant…your ignorance is showing but unfortunately you are the norm in Lufkin…
By Old Timer
October 14, 2009 4:08 PM | Link to this
Vagrant, it is folks like you who won’t allow and intelligent exchange of thoughts and ideas. No one brought up race or political leaning until you made that the theme. And CT is right: I am aware of Judge Justices rulings and do not favor most of them. But both he and his family deserve better. Right or wrong, in our eyes, for his years of service. His family, because they have lost someone they loved. That is all that needs to be addressed here.
By concernedtaxpayer
October 14, 2009 5:06 PM | Link to this
Really Vagrant, first of all you should be clear on the terminology prejudice yes Stop and Think most definitely is that. Prejudice against a lot of thing in particular systemic welfare abusers, that doesn’t make him/her a racist. Being a Republican also does not make someone a racist, just like being a Democrat by its nature excludes the prospect that one is a racist.
Secondly whether he is or is not how at all did you come to the conclusion that making an obituary an issue on racial profiling was somehow something of moral value to add? It is true that people like Stop and Think are at times hard to reason with, and with the means you have chosen for rationality it is very clear to see why.
And yet again judging everyone in Lufkin to be the same, generalizing all of us together. I dare to believe differently, I expect people to act differently than you generalize, treat them with respect and have found in accordance with that they will rise to the occasion most of the time. When you resolve yourself to believing the only thing here is low class racist losers that is all you will ever see.
Stop and Think said his peace. He didn’t like the man and others seem to share that sentiment, so he wasn’t exactly wrong in what he said just a bit inconsiderate to the fact that the man’s loved ones may read the public disdain for their father, grandfather and so on.
By etx44
October 14, 2009 5:37 PM | Link to this
Love him or hate him, Judge William Wayne Justice was the Dictator of Texas for almost 40 years.
Just about time for many people to grow up believing in “his Texas”.
By cowboy
October 14, 2009 6:57 PM | Link to this
Considering Justice (what a mis-nomer) was the most reversed judge in the 5th circut his legacy is not what his adoring leftist fans purport it to be. For anyone who had the experience of watching him operate up close, he was the most biased and unfair “judge” in the system. With his record of reversals by higher courts had he been in the private sector he would have been canned years ago. One of the problems w/lifetime appointments is that tyrants like this are permitted to continue to serve.
By Jackie
October 14, 2009 9:55 PM | Link to this
So…we don’t have old “Ownie” to kick around anymore like the family red-headed stepchild, do we?
Judge Justice is gone.
He was one of the original ‘old timers’ Texas had…
By stop & think
October 15, 2009 10:07 AM | Link to this
You know ‘Vagrant’…you are a just typical modern day liberal Democrat. Anyone’s views that you personally disagree with, just throw the “racist” label at them. That’s why your President and your party are doomed to failure. You guys are the one’s playing the race card - and that is sad.
My issues with William Wayne Justice center around the length of time he stayed on the bench (he was a Lyndon B. Johnson appointee) and the fact that he tended greatly to legislate from the bench. I disagree with lifetime appointments for federal judges, no matter if they are conservative or liberal.’Vagrant’, if that makes me a “racist” and “ignorant” in your eyes…then so be it. I can assure you, however, that I’m not jumping for joy that the man died. I only believe that he should have retired years ago, and I’m thrilled his spot on the bench is open, at long last.
By concernedtaxpayer
October 15, 2009 11:54 AM | Link to this
You know thinking about it, if Judge Justice really is as most of the public has thought about him on here I think he must truly be smiling at the moment that his death has inspired as much heated debate as his life.
By jwesley
October 15, 2009 3:55 PM | Link to this
Cowboy, you entitled to your own opinion, not your own facts. You have it backwards. Judge Justice was one of the least reversed Judges in the Fifth Circuit. And his landmark rulings—-Ruiz, Plyler—were reviewed and affirmed by the Fifth Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court.
By Vagrant
October 15, 2009 11:07 PM | Link to this
Stop ‘n Think: If I can form an opinion with out the help of Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, Ron Paul, Jesus Christ or Louie “where be my azz” Ghomert then I must not be a Republican, thank God :)
By stop & think
October 16, 2009 5:29 AM | Link to this
‘Vagrant’, How do you form an opinion? Do you consult with your socialist collective? Do they send out a signal to the “community”, instructing all of the followers how to think on certain issues? Is this how they keep a tight grip on the nanny state? Just curious. LOL!
William Wayne Justice. R.I.P.
By trucker
October 24, 2009 12:55 PM | Link to this
RIP William Wayne Justice. Texas and America have lost a great man. It is a sad commentary that a federal judge had to force Texans to treat African Americans as human beings. But such was the case. And as some of the comments here attest, there are still plenty of racist scum who resent it.
By claude e welch
October 26, 2009 2:46 PM | Link to this
Again, ignorance and intolerance have reared their ugly heads in the comments about Judge Justice. Dead wrong are the comments about his reversal rate. He was the “least” reversed judge in the Eastern District of Texas even though he handled some of the most complex and controversial issues of the time. Judge Justice had integrity, courage, class, and intellect and when you couple those qualities with a devotion to, and love of, the U. S. Constitution you have an icon. Nothing anyone can say can take that away.