Philip Ricketts
Philip Ricketts | |
|---|---|
| Chairman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas | |
| In office August 1984 – October 1985 | |
| Governor | Mark White |
| Preceded by | Alan Erwin |
| Succeeded by | Peggy Rosson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 5, 1945 Gatesville, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | November 2, 2018 (aged 73) Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Spouse | Nancy Overman |
| Occupation | Lawyer, government official |
Philip Franks Ricketts (October 5, 1945 – November 2, 2018)[1][2] was an American lawyer who served as chairman of the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) from 1984 to 1985.
Early life, education, and military service
[edit]Born in Gatesville, Texas, Ricketts received his undergraduate degree from Baylor University,[1] attending on scholarship,[3] thereafter serving in the United States Army for two years as a military intelligence officer during the Vietnam War.[1][4] Ricketts received his law degree from the University of Texas School of Law,[1][2] and gained admission to the bar in Texas in 1973.[2] For a time, he was an attorney for Texas Rural Legal Aid,[5][6][7] for example in cases in 1974 and 1975 representing Mexican-American students born in Texas, who sought to attend local schools there although their legal guardians remained in Mexico.[5][6]
Public Utilities Commission and later life
[edit]When the Public Utility Commission was created by the state legislature in 1975, Ricketts was appointed as its Chief Administrative Law Judge.[1] In that capacity, Ricketts ruled in 1977 that Gulf States Utility Co. could begin supplying power to College Station, Texas, over the objections of the city of Bryan, Texas.[8] In 1982, under Governor Bill Clements, he became an assistant attorney general, serving as the Texas Attorney General's Chief of the Utility Section.[1]
In January 1983, Ricketts became incoming Governor Mark White's assistant general counsel,[9] and in March 1983, Governor White appointed Ricketts as a commissioner of the PUC.[7] In August 1984, Ricketts was elected by his two fellow commissioners to serve as chair, following the resignation of commissioner Alan Erwin.[9]
Ricketts resigned from the PUC as of October 7, 1985, in order to return to private practice with a law firm of Bracewell & Patterson in Austin,[1][10] having previously informed Governor White "that he did not want to be reappointed to the commission".[10] Ricketts remained with the firm until his death, and practiced energy and telecommunications law.[1]
Personal life and death
[edit]In December 1972, Ricketts married law school classmate Nancy Overman, with whom he had one son.[1][4] He died in Austin at the age of 73.[1][2]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Philip Ricketts Obituary (1945 - 2018) - Austin, TX - Austin American-Statesman". Legacy.com.
- ^ a b c d Faderewski, Adam (December 4, 2018). "In Memoriam - November". Texas Bar Blog.
- ^ "Philip Ricketts Going to Baylor", Austin American-Statesman (August 15, 1963), p. A18.
- ^ a b "Nancy Overman, Philip F. Ricketts Will Be Married", The Daily Oklahoman (September 24, 1972), "Sunday Oklahoman" p 7.
- ^ a b "School Board Has Hearing On Question Of Residency", Harlingen Valley Morning Star (July 9, 1974), p. 1.
- ^ a b "School 'Can't Afford' To Teach Aliens", Corpus Christi Times (May 8, 1975), p. 2.
- ^ a b Mike Hailey, "Ricketts fights pro-industry label", Austin American-Statesman (August 13, 1984), p. 8.
- ^ Jerry Gray, "Bryan plans motion to quash PUC ruling", Bryan-College Station Eagle (May 26, 1977), p. 1.
- ^ a b Mike Hailey, "Utility panel chief pledges a firm course", Austin American-Statesman (August 7, 1984), p. 10.
- ^ a b "PUC Chairman Resigns", Tyler Morning Telegraph (October 8, 1985), section 4, p. 7.