John Hill

DALLAS (AP) - John Hill, the only person in Texas history to serve as secretary of state, attorney general and chief justice of the state Supreme Court, has died. He was 83.

Hill died Monday of a heart condition, his law firm said.

In 1978, Hill ran for governor and defeated incumbent Gov. Dolph Briscoe for the Democratic nomination. But Hill became the first Democrat in 100 years to lose the gubernatorial election, falling to Dallas millionaire Bill Clements, a Republican.

After several years as a behind-the-scenes player in state politics, Hill was elected to a four-year term as chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court in 1984.

He resigned before his term ended to begin an unsuccessful crusade to reduce political pressure on the judicial branch by ending the system in which voters elect judges in Texas.

Hill continued to push for reforms even after he no longer held public office.

After serving in the Navy during World War II, Hill became a lawyer. He built his reputation by winning large awards for the families of passengers who died in plane crashes in Texas.

He was secretary of state from 1966-68. In 1972, he won an election for attorney general by 100,000 votes.

After the failed gubernatorial run and his stint on the state Supreme Court, Hill returned to private practice. Since 2005, Hill had been a partner in the Houston office of the law firm Winstead PC.


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