INTRODUCTION

Unless you've been living in a cave -- or have been camped out in an undisclosed location -- you're no doubt aware that Supreme Court talk is all the rage these days.

At the federal level, the nominations of John Roberts (successful), Harriet Miers (not), and Samuel Alito (uncertain) have even the most judiciary-averse among us sounding like law school deans.

At the state level, Texans are eagerly awaiting what will surely be a landmark ruling on school finance. But while the personalities in Washington are well known, the nine men and women who rule the roost in! Austin are a bit of a mystery -- which is a shame, since they're all interesting, and none more so than the leader of the pack, Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson.

Raised in San Antonio, the son of an Air Force major, 42-year-old Jefferson is a graduate of Michigan State University and the University of Texas Law School. After working at prominent law firms for 13 years, he was tapped by Rick Perry for a seat on the court in 2001, and he was elevated the top spot in September of 2004. But resumes don't tell the whole story of the first African American to serve on and lead the Texas Supreme Court, who, as it happens, is descended from slaves.

His great-great-great grandfather, Shedrick Willis, was freed after the McLellan County judge who was his master ruled that a free black man could not be bound by contract to sell himself into slavery and went on to serve two terms on the Waco City Council after the Civil War. An amazing history that sheds only a little light on the life of! his descendant, who happened to grow up to be pretty amazing himself.