Appellate Law

Lincoln the Lawyer

By D. Todd Smith

I attended the Texas Supreme Court Historical Society's annual John Hemphill Dinner last night.  I believe all the justices were there, and the big ballroom at the Four Seasons here in Austin was packed as always.

Professor Mark Steiner from South Texas College of Law was the keynote speaker, and he talked about his new book An Honest Calling: The Law Practice of Abraham Lincoln.  We don't often think of Lincoln as anything but the President who gave the Gettysburg Address and issued the Emancipation Proclamation.  It was interesting to learn more about Lincoln the lawyer.

In particular, Professor Steiner addressed Lincoln's proclivity as an appellate practitioner.  The joke of the night, paraphrased as best I can remember it this morning, went something like this:  "Lincoln even handled an appeal in Texas.  Rumor has it that the Texas Supreme Court will issue its opinion in the case this summer."

The room erupted with laughter.

Full post as published by Texas Appellate Law Blog on May 31, 2008 (boomark / email).