Deborah Hankinson

Deborah G. Hankinson

Early life and career Hankinson was born on February 3, 1953. She earned a special education degree from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1977, and initially worked as an educator for children with developmental disabilities. She later received her J.D. degree from Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law. In 1995, Hankinson was appointed as a judge of the Fifth District Court of Appeals located in Dallas, Texas. On October 28, 1997, she was appointed by Governor George W. Bush as a justice of the Supreme Court of Texas. Hankinson remained on the bench until December 31, 2002. She returned to private practice and founded her own appellate law firm in Dallas.