Former Chief Justice Gorman Houston Jr. spent his time discussing a number of observations made during his legal career and time spent on Alabama's Supreme Court. He commented on the growing trend of negative ads and escalating financial cost as obstacles to running for public office. He also mentioned a proposed constitutional amendment that would create a judicial evaluation committee to make recommendations for retaining and terminating state and appellate judges. In that light, he recounted aspects of the Roy Moore-Ten Commandments case. Only twice in our state's history, Houston noted, has a Supreme Court justice been removed: 1829 and Roy Moore's recent removal.

Houston is a graduate of Auburn University and then went to the University of Alabama for his juris doctorate. He has practiced law in private practice and on the Supreme Court since 1956. Justice Houston served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama from 1985 until his retirement on January 13, 2005. He served as acting chief justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama from August 2003 to June 2004. He now practices with the firm of Lightfoot, Franklin & White L.L.C. in Birmingham. He has been married to the former Martha Martin since 1955; they have two children and four grandchildren.

(l to r) Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice C.C. "Bo" Torbert of Opelika, Club President Debbie Shaw, Former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Gorman Houston and program chair Herb White