Ben Z. Grant
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Z. Grant is a former Texas
legislator, state judge
, and current author
and playwright
.
Member, Texas House of Representatives
- 1971 to 1981;
Judge, 71st Judicial District of Texas - 1981 to 1985;
Justice, Court of Appeals, 6th Judicial District of Texas - 1985 to 2003.
Benjamin Z. Grant graduated with honors from Panola College
in Carthage, Texas
, and Northwestern State University
in Natchitoches
, Louisiana
. He later received a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Texas School of Law in January 1968. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas on May 23 of that same year and is authorized to practice law in all Texas courts and various federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States.
Throughout his working career, Judge Grant has had a variety of occupations that range from shining shoes and working at a brick yard to serving as an adjunct faculty member at East Texas Baptist University
. He also taught school for four years and was publisher and editor of a weekly newspaper. During law school, Grant worked for the General Land Office and Veterans Land Board, taught night school at Austin High School, and worked as an aide for Representative Cread L. Ray.
After Representative Ray decided not to seek reelection in 1970, Grant successfully ran in his place and represented District Three in the Texas House of Representatives from January 12, 1971 to January 8, 1981. During his first term, the Sixty-Second Legislature, Grant became a member of the "Dirty Thirty," a group of representatives who "grouped against... [several state] officials charged in a bribery-conspiracy investigation by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission." Grant also served nine years as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
At the end of the Sixty-Sixth Legislature, Grant decided not to seek reelection - instead, he successfully campaigned for the judgeship of the Seventy-First Judicial District Court in Marshall. However, shortly after his reelection in 1984, Governor Mark White appointed him to the Sixth Court of Appeals in Texarkana, on August 13, 1985. Judge Grant took his oath of office on August 21, 1985, and served seventeen years on that court. After retiring in January 2003, Judge Grant assumed the status of senior judge.
Throughout his distinguished career as a state official, Judge Grant has served as president of the Northeast Texas Bar Association and the State Bar Judicial Section Executive Committee. He also served six years as president of the Texas Judicial Council, has spoken at numerous judicial and legal conferences, has conducted legal conferences, and is listed in Who's Who in American Politics. He has had legal articles published in the Texas Bar Journal and Trial Lawyers Forum.
Judge Grant has been an active participant in his community. He has served as vice-president of the Harrison County Historical Museum
Board, was a member of the executive board for the Texas State Historical Association, and has written a weekly column, "The History Around Us," for the Marshall News Messenger, since 1998. He has also served as president of the Marshall Lions Club and District Commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America.
Because of his extensive work in Marshall, Judge Grant has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions. Common Cause of Texas recognized him for his uncommon talents and years of courageous public service. He was named one of the 100 outstanding leaders of Harrison County for the 20th Century, is listed on the Wall of Distinction of Harrison County, and received the Sallie McGee Lentz Award for Historical Publications.
In addition to his weekly column, Judge Grant has authored several books: The Last Dragon, a children's book; and two novels, The Wolf Has No Pillow and Troubles Walk North. He has also written or co-written numerous plays, such as The Kingfish, a play on the life of the late Huey P. Long, which was co-authored with Larry L. King and has been performed in numerous cities including the New Playwright Theatre in Washington, D.C., and the John Houseman Theatre in New York City. The play is published by S.M.U. Press. His other plays are Came The Cajuns; from Hardscrabble, a two-act play set in rural East Texas; Evangeline's Song; The Sage of the Sabine - the Strife and Times of Isaac Van Zandt; and Roarin', Rantin' Rabbie.
He has two children, daughter Brea Grant
and son Zane.
He sought the Democratic nomination for Texas Lieutenant Governor in 2006.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
legislator, state judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
, and current author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
.
Member, Texas House of Representatives
Texas House of Representatives
The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Texas Legislature. The House is composed of 150 members elected from single-member districts across the state. The average district has about 150,000 people. Representatives are elected to two-year terms with no term limits...
- 1971 to 1981;
Judge, 71st Judicial District of Texas - 1981 to 1985;
Justice, Court of Appeals, 6th Judicial District of Texas - 1985 to 2003.
Benjamin Z. Grant graduated with honors from Panola College
Panola College
Panola College is a community college located in Carthage, Texas. The name derives from Panola County, Texas, of which Carthage is the county seat.As defined by the Texas Legislature, the official service area of Panola College is the following:...
in Carthage, Texas
Carthage, Texas
Carthage is a city in Panola County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,664 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Panola County, and is situated in East Texas near the Louisiana state line.-Geography:...
, and Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University
Northwestern State University, known as NSU, is a four-year public university primarily situated in Natchitoches, Louisiana, with a nursing campus in Shreveport and general campuses in Leesville/Fort Polk and Alexandria. It is a part of the University of Louisiana System.NSU was founded in 1884 as...
in Natchitoches
Natchitoches
Natchitoches may refer to:*Natchitoches , an American Indian people*Natchitoches, Louisiana, a city*Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
. He later received a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Texas School of Law in January 1968. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas on May 23 of that same year and is authorized to practice law in all Texas courts and various federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States.
Throughout his working career, Judge Grant has had a variety of occupations that range from shining shoes and working at a brick yard to serving as an adjunct faculty member 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 :...
. He also taught school for four years and was publisher and editor of a weekly newspaper. During law school, Grant worked for the General Land Office and Veterans Land Board, taught night school at Austin High School, and worked as an aide for Representative Cread L. Ray.
After Representative Ray decided not to seek reelection in 1970, Grant successfully ran in his place and represented District Three in the Texas House of Representatives from January 12, 1971 to January 8, 1981. During his first term, the Sixty-Second Legislature, Grant became a member of the "Dirty Thirty," a group of representatives who "grouped against... [several state] officials charged in a bribery-conspiracy investigation by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission." Grant also served nine years as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
At the end of the Sixty-Sixth Legislature, Grant decided not to seek reelection - instead, he successfully campaigned for the judgeship of the Seventy-First Judicial District Court in Marshall. However, shortly after his reelection in 1984, Governor Mark White appointed him to the Sixth Court of Appeals in Texarkana, on August 13, 1985. Judge Grant took his oath of office on August 21, 1985, and served seventeen years on that court. After retiring in January 2003, Judge Grant assumed the status of senior judge.
Throughout his distinguished career as a state official, Judge Grant has served as president of the Northeast Texas Bar Association and the State Bar Judicial Section Executive Committee. He also served six years as president of the Texas Judicial Council, has spoken at numerous judicial and legal conferences, has conducted legal conferences, and is listed in Who's Who in American Politics. He has had legal articles published in the Texas Bar Journal and Trial Lawyers Forum.
Judge Grant has been an active participant in his community. He has served as vice-president of the Harrison County Historical Museum
Harrison County Historical Museum
Harrison County Historical Museum is a historical museum in Marshall, Texas, dedicated to the history of Harrison County, Texas. The museum houses twenty-two rooms of exhibits ranging in topic from the Native American Caddo culture to the history of the HBCU Wiley College.The museum has...
Board, was a member of the executive board for the Texas State Historical Association, and has written a weekly column, "The History Around Us," for the Marshall News Messenger, since 1998. He has also served as president of the Marshall Lions Club and District Commissioner for the Boy Scouts of America.
Because of his extensive work in Marshall, Judge Grant has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions. Common Cause of Texas recognized him for his uncommon talents and years of courageous public service. He was named one of the 100 outstanding leaders of Harrison County for the 20th Century, is listed on the Wall of Distinction of Harrison County, and received the Sallie McGee Lentz Award for Historical Publications.
In addition to his weekly column, Judge Grant has authored several books: The Last Dragon, a children's book; and two novels, The Wolf Has No Pillow and Troubles Walk North. He has also written or co-written numerous plays, such as The Kingfish, a play on the life of the late Huey P. Long, which was co-authored with Larry L. King and has been performed in numerous cities including the New Playwright Theatre in Washington, D.C., and the John Houseman Theatre in New York City. The play is published by S.M.U. Press. His other plays are Came The Cajuns; from Hardscrabble, a two-act play set in rural East Texas; Evangeline's Song; The Sage of the Sabine - the Strife and Times of Isaac Van Zandt; and Roarin', Rantin' Rabbie.
He has two children, daughter Brea Grant
Brea Grant
Brea Colleen Grant is an American actress and writer who is best known for playing Daphne Millbrook in the NBC television series Heroes...
and son Zane.
He sought the Democratic nomination for Texas Lieutenant Governor in 2006.