Texas Supreme Court advisory

Contact: Osler McCarthy, staff attorney for public information
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Monday, October 4, 2010

RETIRED COURT CLERK GARSON JACKSON DIES
Services scheduled Wednesday morning in Austin

Services for Garson Jackson, who served as the 10th court clerk in Texas Supreme Court history, will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Harrell Funeral Home in South Austin. He was 90.

Garson Roscoe Jackson – “Jack” to friends, “Mr. J” to colleagues – was clerk of the Court from January 1967 to December 1984. He died Sunday.

“He was a diligent and faithful public servant,” said retired Chief Justice Jack Pope. “He ran his office as clerk without a complaint that I ever heard.”

As clerk, Jackson served with three chief justices, Pope, Joe Greenhill and Robert W. Calvert. He joined the Court in 1957 as deputy clerk and became chief deputy in 1965, a year and three months before becoming clerk of the Court.

In his letter announcing his retirement, Jackson noted in 28 years’ service with the Court he worked with four chief justices and 30 justices.

“Garson Jackson was a true gentleman who is fondly remembered by those who worked with him at the Supreme Court of Texas,” said Blake Hawthorne, the current clerk of the Court. “Always courteous and kind, he set the standard for professionalism and demeanor for clerks who followed in his footsteps.”

“He was a world-class marksman and golfer, who shot a 72 with no handicap at age 80, despite crippling arthritis which made every step an effort,” said Douglas D. Bryce, editor of the Texas Supreme Court Journal, who knew Jackson since Bryce was 5 and worked with him at the Journal after Jackson’s retirement from the Court.

Bryce attributes Jackson’s legacy for what he calls a “palpable sense of family” at the Court and for the Texas bar exam’s procedure sections.

“We can thank Jack for that, in part, as well, as his memory lives on in a few folks at the Court,” he said, “and thousands of lawyers with his signature on their licenses.”

Visitation will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Map to Harrell. Burial will be in the Lockhart City Cemetery.

Funeral home obituary