Thomas Morrow Reavley


Thomas Morrow Reavley is a Senior United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Education and career

Reavley was born in Quitman, Texas. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas in 1942. While at the University of Texas, he was a member of the Tejas Club. He received a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1948. He received a Master of Laws from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1983. He was in the United States Navy from 1942 to 1946. He was an assistant district attorney of Dallas, Texas from 1948 to 1949. He was in private practice of law in Nacogdoches, Texas from 1949 to 1951. He was a county attorney of Nacogdoches County, Texas in 1951. He was in private practice of law in Lufkin, Texas from 1951 to 1952. He was in private practice of law in Jasper, Texas from 1952 to 1955. He was Texas Secretary of State from 1955 to 1957. He was in private practice of law in Austin, Texas from 1957 to 1964. He was a Judge of the 167 Judicial District in Austin, Texas from 1964 to 1968. He was a Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas from 1968 to 1977. He was in private practice of law in Austin from 1977 to 1979. He was a Special Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals in 1978.

Federal judicial service

Reavley was nominated by President Jimmy Carter to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on May 17, 1979, to a new seat created by 92 Stat.1629. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on July 12, 1979, and received commission on July 13, 1979. He assumed senior status on August 1, 1990.

Personal

Reavley married fellow Fifth Circuit judge Carolyn Dineen King in August 2004.