Morris Overstreet
Encyclopedia
Judge Morris L. Overstreet is the first African-American elected to a statewide office in the history of the State of Texas. He was twice elected to serve on the state’s highest criminal appellate court, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
, from 1990 to 1998. As a member of the Court, he authored over 500 opinions.
Before taking the bench, Judge Overstreet served for five years as a prosecutor in the 47th Judicial District at the District Attorney’s Office in Amarillo, where he advanced to First Assistant District Attorney. He also presided over the Potter County Court at Law Number 1 in Amarillo for four years. As a prosecutor and trial judge involved in hundreds of jury trials and thousands of non-jury trials, Judge Overstreet has never had a criminal conviction reversed on appeal because of any error committed by him.
In January of 1999, he qualified as a certified contract advisor with the National Football League Players Association and was authorized to negotiate contracts between players and NFL clubs. He is a life member of the National Bar Association and is also a member of the American Bar Association, and served as a former Chair of the Judicial Council Division. Judge Overstreet is also the current President of the Auxiliary to the National Medical Association
.
From August 1999 – May 2000, he served as the Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law at his alma mater, Thurgood Marshall School of Law
, Texas Southern University
in Houston, Texas
. In September 2002, Judge Overstreet returned to Texas Southern University, where he served as the Director of the Legal Clinic and Professor of Evidence and Criminal Procedure for four years.
In private practice, Judge Overstreet has served as general counsel
to the Texas State Baptist Convention and chair of its statewide Bible Drill Competition. He also served as the National Legal Counsel for Phi Beta Sigma
fraternity and was a former Chair of the State Bar Crime Victims Committee.
Judge Overstreet is a graduate of Amarillo High School in Amarillo
. He earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Sociology
with minors in Biology and Chemistry from Angelo State University
in San Angelo, Texas
. He earned a Juris Doctor
Degree from Texas Southern University School of Law in Houston, Texas in 1975.
Judge Overstreet is a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Amarillo, Texas and attends Windsor Village United Methodist Church. He is also a life member of both the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
and Phi Beta Sigma
Fraternity He is also a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. He is a frequent lecturer and public speaker and has taught continuing legal educational classes statewide for Justices of the Peace, Constitutional County Judges, municipal court judges, local Bar Associations, the State Bar of Texas Advance Criminal Law Seminar, and the National Bar Association.
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the court of last resort for all criminal matters in the State of Texas, United States. The Court, which is based in the Supreme Court Building in Downtown Austin, is composed of a Presiding Judge and eight judges....
, from 1990 to 1998. As a member of the Court, he authored over 500 opinions.
Before taking the bench, Judge Overstreet served for five years as a prosecutor in the 47th Judicial District at the District Attorney’s Office in Amarillo, where he advanced to First Assistant District Attorney. He also presided over the Potter County Court at Law Number 1 in Amarillo for four years. As a prosecutor and trial judge involved in hundreds of jury trials and thousands of non-jury trials, Judge Overstreet has never had a criminal conviction reversed on appeal because of any error committed by him.
In January of 1999, he qualified as a certified contract advisor with the National Football League Players Association and was authorized to negotiate contracts between players and NFL clubs. He is a life member of the National Bar Association and is also a member of the American Bar Association, and served as a former Chair of the Judicial Council Division. Judge Overstreet is also the current President of the Auxiliary to the National Medical Association
National Medical Association
The National Medical Association is the largest and oldest national organization representing African American physicians and their patients in the United States...
.
From August 1999 – May 2000, he served as the Distinguished Visiting Professor of Law at his alma mater, Thurgood Marshall School of Law
Thurgood Marshall School of Law
The Thurgood Marshall School of Law is an ABA accredited law school in Houston, Texas, that awards J.D. . It is part of Texas Southern University.-History:...
, Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University is a historically black university located in Houston, Texas, United States....
in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. In September 2002, Judge Overstreet returned to Texas Southern University, where he served as the Director of the Legal Clinic and Professor of Evidence and Criminal Procedure for four years.
In private practice, Judge Overstreet has served as general counsel
General Counsel
A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
to the Texas State Baptist Convention and chair of its statewide Bible Drill Competition. He also served as the National Legal Counsel for Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I...
fraternity and was a former Chair of the State Bar Crime Victims Committee.
Judge Overstreet is a graduate of Amarillo High School in Amarillo
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
. He earned a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in Sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
with minors in Biology and Chemistry from Angelo State University
Angelo State University
Angelo State University is a public, coeducational, doctoral level degree-granting university located in San Angelo, Texas, United States. It was founded in 1928 as San Angelo College. It gained University status and awarded its first baccalaureate degrees in 1967 and graduate degrees in 1969, the...
in San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo, Texas
San Angelo is a city in the state of Texas. Located in West Central Texas it is the county seat of Tom Green County. As of 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau, the city had a total population of 93,200...
. He earned a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
Degree from Texas Southern University School of Law in Houston, Texas in 1975.
Judge Overstreet is a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Amarillo, Texas and attends Windsor Village United Methodist Church. He is also a life member of both the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, usually abbreviated as NAACP, is an African-American civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909. Its mission is "to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to...
and Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma
Phi Beta Sigma is a predominantly African-American fraternity which was founded at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on January 9, 1914, by three young African-American male students. The founders A. Langston Taylor, Leonard F. Morse, and Charles I...
Fraternity He is also a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. He is a frequent lecturer and public speaker and has taught continuing legal educational classes statewide for Justices of the Peace, Constitutional County Judges, municipal court judges, local Bar Associations, the State Bar of Texas Advance Criminal Law Seminar, and the National Bar Association.