Louis E. Sturns

Louis E. Sturns (born August 6, 1949) is an American lawyer and retired judge. In 1990, he became the first African American to serve on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, the state's court of last resort for criminal cases. He was also the first African American criminal district court judge in Tarrant County, Texas, and the first African American president of the Tarrant County Bar Association.

Early life and education

Sturns was born on August 6, 1949, near Henderson, Texas, and grew up in rural Rusk County. He attended segregated public schools before enrolling at Wichita State University. While attending Wichita State, he participated in the Reserve Officers' Training Corps, washed dishes, and drove school buses to help finance his education.

Legal and military career

After law school, Sturns worked in Fort Worth with civil-rights attorney L. Clifford Davis while awaiting admission to the bar. He then served for three years in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps at Fort Hood, where his work included prosecution, criminal defense, and legal advising. After leaving the Army, he returned to Davis's law firm in Fort Worth. He served until 1991 and subsequently returned to private practice. Sturns remained on that court until retiring in October 2018. Morton had served nearly 25 years in prison before DNA evidence led to his exoneration.

Following the inquiry, Sturns found that Anderson had intentionally concealed evidence and issued an arrest warrant for criminal contempt, tampering with evidence, and tampering with a government record. The case preceded the Texas Legislature's adoption of the Michael Morton Act, which expanded prosecutors' obligations to disclose evidence to defendants.

Professional and civic service

Sturns has held positions on state and local boards, including the Texas Juvenile Justice Advisory Board, Texas Ethics Commission, Texas Public Safety Commission, Texas Racing Commission, and Trinity River Authority board of directors. He has also served as president of the Fort Worth Black Bar Association, chair of the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, and a trustee of Texas Wesleyan University.

His honors include the Army Commendation Medal, the NAACP Civil Justice and Humanitarian Award, the Tarrant County Bar Association's Silver Gavel Award, the Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association's Judicial Excellence and Courage Award, and a lifetime achievement award from the Fort Worth Business Press.