Like every Texas lawyer licensed since 1988, I’d never known a Texas Supreme Court without Chief Justice Nathan Hecht.

That changed on January 1, 2025.

Todd Smith, Chief Justice Hecht, and Jody Sanders in the Chief’s chambers

A Rare Opportunity

As widely reported in Texas legal news, Chief Justice Hecht retired from the Court on

Chief Justice Nathan Hecht is retiring after an extraordinary 43 years on the bench. In this special episode, he joins Todd Smith and Jody Sanders to reflect on his remarkable career as Texas’s longest-serving Chief Justice. He shares personal stories, pivotal milestones, and the transformative reforms he championed, from modernizing court technology to improving access

The highly publicized Robert Roberson case has raised critical questions about the death penalty and separation of powers. In this episode, Todd Smith and Jody Sanders sit down with criminal defense attorney Doug Gladden to tackle this difficult topic. Known for his insightful legal commentary, Doug shares his career journey from serving as a prosecutor to his new