Chief Justice Thomas R. Phillips announced Thursday that he will resign on September 3, 2004.
Chief Justice Phillips, the 29th chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, will have served almost 17 years by the time he leaves the Court. He was appointed by Gov. William P. Clements to replace former Chief Justice John L. Hill, who resigned, and took office January 4, 1988. Chief Justice Phillips was elected in 1988 to finish the remainder of Hill’s term and won re-election in 1990, 1996 and 2002.
He will assume the Spurgeon Bell Distinguished Visiting Chair this fall at South Texas College of Law in Houston. The following is Chief Justice Phillips’ statement:

This morning I visited with the Governor and delivered to him a letter advising that I intend to resign the office of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, effective September 3, 2004.
I believe that no secular calling is higher than to sit in judgment over disputes brought by the people to their public courts for resolution. I am most grateful for the rare opportunity to serve this great state as both a district judge and as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas. I hope that my tenure as Chief Justice has been worthy of the high standards set by my predecessors, most notably my friends and mentors John Hill, Jack Pope, Joe Greenhill and the late Robert W. Calvert. I hope that my performance in office has to some extent justified the confidence placed in me by Governor William P. Clements, who appointed me in 1988, and by the voters of Texas, who four times have returned me to office.
I am one of those truly lucky persons who reached their ultimate career goal at age 38, when I became the youngest Chief Justice since Texas joined the Union. Now, more than sixteen years later, I have the opportunity to pursue new goals, some of which I have set already, some yet to be discovered.
I will always be proud of the Supreme Court of Texas and its accomplishments during my tenure. For instance, the Court has amended the rules of procedure, evidence and court administration to reduce delay, confusion and abuse in our legal system. We have enhanced both judicial and legal ethics through new conduct rules and disciplinary procedures. We have adopted procedures to make both court case files and administrative records more open to the public. And we have taken bold steps to make civil legal services more accessible to the poor. But beyond these important administrative reforms, I am proud of this Court’s commitment to the rule of law. Today, our opinions are respected across the nation for their scholarship and fairness. Our justices respect the Court’s proper role of interpreting and applying the law, not inventing it. The justices I leave on the Court are men and women of the highest intellect and integrity, and it has been a privilege to work with and learn from each of them.
Of course, the Texas judiciary is still far from perfect. Many of its problems may be traced to the structure of our judicial system, which is essentially a relic of the nineteenth century. I sought a fourth term in 2002 because I believed that this Legislature would make real changes in the way we select our judges and organize our courts. Some progress was made, but not enough. Perhaps new leadership can rally public support for comprehensive reform that will give our great state the court system our people deserve.
While I pursue future career opportunities, I will spend the next academic year as the Spurgeon Bell Distinguished Visiting Chair at the South Texas College of Law in Houston. While I am leaving public office, I am not renouncing my interest in public affairs. I will speak out on judicial and other issues if and when I have something useful to contribute. Finally, I must take a moment to thank those who have made my service possible. First and foremost, I acknowledge with deep gratitude my family’s sacrifices and their help. My wife Lyn left an important career at Rice University and my stepson Thomas Kirkham left his family, his friends and his school to move from Houston to Austin. They and my son Daniel, who was born since I became Chief Justice, have had to share me with boxes of petitions for review on evenings and weekends and with judicial conferences and commencement addresses on family vacations. Second, I appreciate the dedicated service of my Supreme Court staff, including my administrative assistant, staff attorneys, and law clerks, who have worked so hard to make me look good. Finally, I sincerely thank all those who supported my appointment, election, or reelection to this position.
I leave with the sure knowledge that Governor Perry will choose an excellent choice successor, just as he has chosen four excellent justices to previous vacancies on our Court. I hope that my successor finds this position as challenging and rewarding as I have.

Chief Justice Phillips is a class act and a fine jurist. He will be missed and difficult to replace. I wish him the best in his new professional undertakings.