by Beth Filla
Executive Director,
Smith County Bar Association/Smith County Bar Foundation
Most attorneys know the law. Some can command a courtroom. But true trailblazers redefine the very practice itself. If you were fortunate enough to have been in the courtroom with the Honorable Diane DeVasto – whether she was serving on the bench or serving as a litigator – you were witness to an incredible mastery of law and insight into the nuances of the US legal system. With an unwavering commitment to justice, brilliant mind, commanding presence, and focus on the rule of law, Judge DeVasto did not just preside over cases, she set the standard for excellence.
Diane DeVasto considers herself an East Texan. Born in Ft. Worth, she and her family moved to Alto when she was six years old to live on her grandparents’ farm. When she was in sixth grade, her family moved to the big town of Jacksonville, where she graduated from high school. Diane was musically talented and played the piano and organ for church services, while also performing in the high school band. During her junior year, she auditioned for a performing group out of California and spent three months touring US military hospitals and bases during the Vietnam War. While she loved the time spent traveling and performing, but most of all, the opportunities she experienced helping others were the things that were most impactful.
When Diane enrolled in college at Baylor University, law school was not on her mind. She was taking education classes and planned on teaching. She enjoyed being a musician and performing. Besides, during that time in history, women that attended college were expected to get degrees in education, secretarial arts, or nursing, not go into law school!
Thankfully, Diane surrounded herself with people who believed in her, encouraged her, and pushed her. She would often hang out with a cousin and friends who were in law school. She enjoyed hearing about the rigors of their program and learning about the intricacies of the US judicial system. After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in education, she applied for and was accepted into the Baylor Law School Class of 1972. She graduated with her Juris Doctorate in 1974, alongside only two other women.
She returned to East Texas and worked as assistant city attorney in Jack Skeen’s office. After writing, receiving, and subsequently administering a grant to provide for affordable housing in Tyler, the young attorney DeVasto was asked to serve as a municipal judge and then became the first full-time judge for the Tyler Municipal Court, where she served as Presiding Judge until 1994. In 1994, she was elected to the Smith County Court at Law Judge, at a time when there was only one other woman on the bench (the Honorable Cynthia Kent). She was appointed in 1995 to the 241st Judicial District Court, by then-governor George W. Bush. After that appointment, she was elected to the same position in 1996, 1998, and 2002. In 2003, then-governor Rick Perry appointed her to the 12th Court of Appeals – the first and only woman to hold that honor – where she served until she stepped down from the judiciary in 2006. She is one of only three lawyers in Texas to have served at four different levels of courts in Texas. After leaving the judiciary, Justice DeVasto went into private practice with the Potter Minton firm for thirteen years.
Justice DeVasto has also recently received the “Outstanding 50 Year Lawyer Award” from the Texas Bar Foundation. She is one of only nine women in the State of Texas to receive this prestigious award. This honor is bestowed upon attorneys who have been actively engaged in the practice of law for more than fifty years and who have adhered to the highest principles and traditions of the legal profession throughout their careers, while also serving their community and giving back to the public. Only seven other East Texas attorneys have received this award (1993 – Franklin Jones, Sr., Marshall; 2007 – Howard Coghlan, Longview; 2008 – Judge Tom Ramey, Jr., Tyler; 2015 – Buck Files, Tyler; 2017 – George Chandler, Lufkin; 2019 – Tom Henson, Tyler; and 2022 – Honorable John Ward, Longview).
Justice DeVasto has served on many committees throughout her career, helping develop and shape legal systems and services. In 1995, she was one of five people from Texas selected to attend the inaugural Department of Justice’s Conference on Violence Against Women, helping shape and implement national policies that are still effective today. She has served on a variety of legal boards including the State Bar of Texas, Texas Bar Foundation, and Smith County Bar Foundation. She continues to serve with the American Law Institute and be a member of the American Legal Institute. She has been a member of committees with the Texas Supreme Court, including the Judicial Education Committee, the Public Policy Committee, the Texas Council on Family Violences, and the Texas Commission on Judicial Efficiency.
Being a judge is not an easy task. As a judge, you have to know the many different aspects of the law, and you need to be prepared to have one side not happy with you. “As a lawyer, I never expect a judge to always rule in my favor, but I do expect them to listen to my arguments and consider them, even if they ultimately disagree,” says Jim Huggler, Tyler attorney. “Judge DeVasto always listened.”
The Smith County Bar Foundation is thrilled to announce that Justice DeVasto will be honored with the Justinian Award – the organization’s preeminent honor that is given to an outstanding Smith County Attorney for their community service, legal ethics, and high professional standards. “We are thrilled to recognize the incredible career and selflessness of the Honorable Justice Diane DeVasto with the Justinian Award,” said Mandy Nelson, president of the Smith County Bar Foundation. “Her dedication to our community and to the practice of law is awe-inspiring. Justice DeVasto is the embodiment of what this award means and is the personification of the values we all strive to uphold in our community. Justice DeVasto is an inspiration.”
Since leaving the judiciary and private practice, the Honorable DeVasto continues to impact our community. She speaks to law school classes, statewide professional organizations, and continues practicing mediation and dispute resolution. Most importantly, she is able to spend a lot of time with grandkids. “Life is hard work,” says Justice DeVasto, “it’s not always easy to balance professional and personal. There will be times when one outweighs the other, but hard work does pay off. Surround yourself with good people and help others however you can. The rewards will come!”
Whether shattering barriers, setting legal precedents, or championing the rights of others, the Honorable Diane DeVasto has truly and indelibly transformed our East Texas community and our East Texas legal system. Thank you, Justice DeVasto, for being relentless in the pursuit of justice and for using your talents for our community!
The Justinian Award will be formally presented during the annual Law Day celebration on May 9, 2025, at the Cascades Country Club. Ticket information can be found at www.smithcountybar.com, or email requests to ed@smithcountybar.com.