Robert Manley Parker
Encyclopedia
Robert Manley Parker is a retired U.S. federal appeals court judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
.
, Parker grew up in Hallsville, Texas
and was named class president of his class at Hallsville High School.
After high school, Parker entered Kilgore College
before entering the United States Naval Academy
. He returned to Texas in 1958, got married and began taking classes part-time at East Texas Baptist University
and Abilene Christian University
.
Parker earned a bachelor's degree in 1961 from the University of Texas at Austin
and a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law
in 1964.
from 1964 until 1965, and then in his native Longview in 1965. From 1965 until 1966, he worked as an administrative assistant to U.S. Rep. Ray Roberts
. He then worked in private law practice in Longview from 1966 until 1971, in private legal practice in Fort Worth, Texas
from 1971 until 1972, and back in Longview as a partner in the firm Nichols & Parker from 1972 until joining the federal bench in 1979.
nominated Parker to a newly created seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
. Parker was confirmed by the United States Senate
on April 24, 1979. He became the chief judge of his district from 1990 until 1994.
On January 27, 1994, President Bill Clinton
nominated Parker to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
to fill the seat vacated by Samuel D. Johnson, Jr.
, who had taken senior status
in May 1991. The United States Senate
confirmed Parker on June 15, 1994.
Rather than take senior status
, Parker retired outright from the federal bench on November 1, 2002 and chose to go back to private legal practice.
Today, Parker works for the law firm of Parker, Bunt & Ainsworth in Tyler, Texas
, specializing in patent litigation, business litigation and arbitration.
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Louisiana* Middle District of Louisiana...
.
Early life and education
Born in Longview, TexasLongview, Texas
Longview is a city in Gregg and Harrison Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 80,455. Most of the city is located in Gregg County, of which it is the county seat; only a small part extends into the western part of neighboring Harrison County. It is...
, Parker grew up in Hallsville, Texas
Hallsville, Texas
Hallsville is a city in Harrison County, Texas, United States, located west of the county seat, Marshall on U.S. Highway 80. The population was 2,772 at the 2000 census.-Early history:...
and was named class president of his class at Hallsville High School.
After high school, Parker entered Kilgore College
Kilgore College
Kilgore College is a community college located in Kilgore, Texas. It has an annual enrollment of more than 5000 students.The school was established in 1935 at the height of the East Texas oil boom...
before entering the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
. He returned to Texas in 1958, got married and began taking classes part-time at East Texas Baptist University
East Texas Baptist University
East Texas Baptist University is a private, coeducational Christian university in Marshall, Texas, United States associated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas.- History :...
and Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University
Abilene Christian University is a private university located in Abilene, Texas, affiliated with Churches of Christ. ACU was founded in 1906, as Childers Classical Institute...
.
Parker earned a bachelor's degree in 1961 from the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
and a law degree from the University of Texas School of Law
University of Texas School of Law
The University of Texas School of Law, also known as UT Law, is an ABA-certified American law school located on the University of Texas at Austin campus. The law school has been in operation since the founding of the University in 1883. It was one of only two schools at the University when it was...
in 1964.
Professional career
Parker worked in private legal practice in Gilmer, TexasGilmer, Texas
Gilmer is also the name of a county in West Virginia.Gilmer is a town in and the county seat of Upshur County, Texas, United States. It is best known for being the birthplace of popular music singer Johnny Mathis. The population was 4,799 at the 2000 census...
from 1964 until 1965, and then in his native Longview in 1965. From 1965 until 1966, he worked as an administrative assistant to U.S. Rep. Ray Roberts
Ray Roberts
Herbert Ray Roberts represented Texas's 4th congressional district from 1962 to 1981. Roberts was a Democrat.-Early life and education:...
. He then worked in private law practice in Longview from 1966 until 1971, in private legal practice in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
from 1971 until 1972, and back in Longview as a partner in the firm Nichols & Parker from 1972 until joining the federal bench in 1979.
Federal judicial service
On February 6, 1979, President Jimmy CarterJimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
nominated Parker to a newly created seat on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas is the Federal district court with jurisdiction over the eastern part of Texas and is a part of the Fifth Circuit. The court's headquarters are in Tyler, Texas and has five subdivision offices in Beaumont, Lufkin, Marshall,...
. Parker was confirmed by the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
on April 24, 1979. He became the chief judge of his district from 1990 until 1994.
On January 27, 1994, President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
nominated Parker to a seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:* Eastern District of Louisiana* Middle District of Louisiana...
to fill the seat vacated by Samuel D. Johnson, Jr.
Samuel D. Johnson, Jr.
Samuel D. Johnson, Jr. was a United States federal judge.Born in Hubbard Hill County, Texas, Johnson was in the United States Army Private during World War II, from 1942 to 1945. He received a B.B.A. from Baylor University in 1946 and an LL.B. from the University of Texas School of Law in 1949...
, who had taken senior status
Senior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
in May 1991. The United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
confirmed Parker on June 15, 1994.
Rather than take senior status
Senior status
Senior status is a form of semi-retirement for United States federal judges, and judges in some state court systems. After federal judges have reached a certain combination of age and years of service on the federal courts, they are allowed to assume senior status...
, Parker retired outright from the federal bench on November 1, 2002 and chose to go back to private legal practice.
Today, Parker works for the law firm of Parker, Bunt & Ainsworth in Tyler, Texas
Tyler, Texas
Tyler is a city in and the county seat of Smith County, Texas, in the United States. It takes its name from President John Tyler . The city had a population of 109,000 in 2010, according to the United States Census Bureau...
, specializing in patent litigation, business litigation and arbitration.