Honors

The Sam Emison Award is bestowed upon a person who has demonstrated a significant commitment and made significant contributions to the practice of family law in the State of Texas.

The recipient of The Sam Emison Award shall receive a suitable plaque or other indication of the award, and may at the election of the Board of Directors receive a monetary honorarium in an amount to be set by the Board of Directors. The award shall ordinarily be made at the annual membership meeting held at the State Bar of Texas' Advanced Family Law Course.

Notice of the award to a recipient will be given in the Academy's Newsletter and in other appropriate fashions. The Board of Directors shall decide when the Award will be given, and to whom, and whether or not a cash honorarium will be given, and in what amount.

The most recent recipient of The Sam Emison Award shall be entitled to attend the Academy's next trial institute without paying a course registration fee. This waiver does not extend to transportation, food or lodging. No person who is an Officer or Director of the Academy at the time decision is made to choose the recipient of The Sam Emison Award shall be eligible to recieve the Award.

[Art. X, § 1, Academy Bylaws 1997]

Past recipients of The Sam Emison Award

• 2011 James M. Loveless - Fort Worth
• 2010 M.J. "Ike" VandenEykel
• 2009 G. Thomas Vick, Jr. - Weatherford
• 2008 Warren Cole - Houston
• 2007 Jack W. Marr - Victoria
• 2006 Gary L. Nickelson - Fort Worth
• 2005 James D. Stewart - San Antonio
• 2004 Cheryl L. Wilson - San Antonio
• 2003 Richard Orsinger - San Antonio
• 2002 Justice Ann Crawford McClure - El Paso
• 2001 Michael McCurley - Dallas
• 2000 Thomas J. Purdom - Lubbock
• 1999 John Compere - San Antonio
• 1998 J. Lindsey Short - Houston
• 1997 Brian L. Webb - Dallas
• 1996 Burta R. Raborn - Houston
• 1995 William C. Koons - Dallas
• 1994 Oliver S. Heard, Jr. - San Antonio
• 1993 Donn C. Fullenweider - Houston
• 1992 Scott T. Cook - Corpus Christi
• 1991 Donald R. Royall - Houston
• 1990 Justice Linda B. - Thomas Dallas
• 1989 Larry H. Schwartz - El Paso
• 1988 Reba Rasor - Dallas
• 1987 Harry L. - Tindall Houston
• 1986 Everett Lord - Beaumont
• 1985 Kenneth D. Fuller - Dallas
• 1984 Justice Barbara Culver - Midland

Honorary Members

In its twenty-two year history, the Academy has bestowed five honorary memberships upon individuals who have made significant contributions to Texas Family Law. Those honorary members are:

Justice Barbara Culver
Former Texas Supreme Court Justice - Midland, Texas

Professor Joseph McKnight
Southern Methodist University School of Law - Dallas, Texas

Professor John J. Sampson
University of Texas School of Law - Austin, Texas

Professor Eugene Smith (deceased)
University of Houston Law Center - Houston, Texas

David Gray
"Interesting Cases" - Houston, Texas