# Rusty Hardin

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rusty_Hardin
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rusty_Hardin.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusty_Hardin
> Source revision: 1267684963
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

**Russell "Rusty" Hardin Jr.** (born October 6, 1941) is an American [attorney](/source/Lawyer)[1][2] and head of the [Houston](/source/Houston,_TX) law firm Rusty Hardin & Associates, P.C. which he established in 1996.

## Early life

Hardin attended a private military academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee, called [Baylor School](/source/Baylor_School) (now a coed, independent day and boarding school). He graduated in 1960 and was influenced by one of his teachers at Baylor, Stan Lewis, to attend [Wesleyan University](/source/Wesleyan_University) in [Middletown, Connecticut](/source/Middletown,_Connecticut). Hardin is a 1965 graduate of Wesleyan and went on to earn his J.D. degree in 1975 at [Southern Methodist University](/source/Southern_Methodist_University) [Dedman School of Law](/source/Dedman_School_of_Law) in [Dallas, Texas](/source/Dallas,_Texas).

## Career

During the [Enron scandal](/source/Enron_scandal), Hardin represented the accounting firm of [Arthur Andersen](/source/Arthur_Andersen).[3] His efforts resulted in the [US Supreme Court unanimously overturning the firm's conviction of obstruction of justice](/source/Arthur_Andersen_LLP_v._United_States) in 2005.

Hardin has represented and won favorable verdicts for athletes such as [Rudy Tomjanovich](/source/Rudy_Tomjanovich),[4] [Warren Moon](/source/Warren_Moon),[5] [Wade Boggs](/source/Wade_Boggs),[6] [Rafer Alston](/source/Rafer_Alston),[7] [Scottie Pippen](/source/Scottie_Pippen),[8] [Steve Francis](/source/Steve_Francis),[9] and [Calvin Murphy](/source/Calvin_Murphy).[10] Another former client is [Roger Clemens](/source/Roger_Clemens),[1] who had been embroiled in accusations of having [perjured himself](/source/Perjury) before Congress over alleged steroid use. Clemens was acquitted on June 18, 2012, on all charges that he obstructed justice and lied to Congress when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs as a [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball) pitcher.[11] Other clients include [Michael Bennett](/source/Michael_Bennett_(defensive_lineman,_born_1985))[12] of the [New England Patriots](/source/New_England_Patriots); [Deshaun Watson](/source/Deshaun_Watson) formerly of the [Houston Texans](/source/Houston_Texans) and currently of the [Cleveland Browns](/source/Cleveland_Browns); [Adrian Peterson](/source/Adrian_Peterson), accused of child abuse;[13] and [NASCAR](/source/NASCAR) driver [Kurt Busch](/source/Kurt_Busch), who was accused of domestic abuse against his former girlfriend.[14][15]

Hardin successfully represented [Victoria Osteen](/source/Victoria_Osteen), wife of [TV evangelist](/source/TV_evangelist) and bestselling author [Joel Osteen](/source/Joel_Osteen), in a civil lawsuit filed by a [Continental Airlines](/source/Continental_Airlines) flight attendant. The flight attendant claimed that she had been pushed by Osteen, and sought civil damages, but a [Houston](/source/Houston) jury acquitted her in 2008.[16] Hardin also won a favorable verdict for the estate of Texas millionaire [J. Howard Marshall](/source/J._Howard_Marshall). A jury found that the estate owed nothing to Marshall's widow, former [Playboy](/source/Playboy) model [Anna Nicole Smith](/source/Anna_Nicole_Smith), who married Marshall when he was 89 years old.[1]

Hardin represented the family of [Los Angeles Angels](/source/Los_Angeles_Angels) pitcher [Tyler Skaggs](/source/Tyler_Skaggs), who died on July 1, 2019.[17]

In early June 2023, the Texas House committee investigating Texas attorney general [Ken Paxton](/source/Ken_Paxton) announced the hiring of Hardin and fellow high-profile attorney [Dick DeGuerin](/source/Dick_DeGuerin) as impeachment prosecutors.[18][19]

## References

1. Munson, Lester (July 4, 2011). ["Clemens' attorney one of the best"](https://www.espn.com/new-york/news/story?id=6737732). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200320081538/https://www.espn.com/new-york/news/story?id=6737732) March 20, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 17, 2020.

1. ["Find a Lawyer: Mr. Russell 'Rusty' Hardin Jr."](http://www.texasbar.com/Template.cfm?Section=Member_Directory&template=/Customsource/MemberDirectory/MemberDirectoryDetail.cfm&ContactID=170839). *State Bar of Texas*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200320081129/https://www.texasbar.com/Template.cfm?Section=Member_Directory&template=/Customsource/MemberDirectory/MemberDirectoryDetail.cfm&ContactID=170839) March 20, 2020 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved March 17, 2020.

1. Barrionuevo, Alexei (June 17, 2002). ["Hardin Loses Andersen Case But Wins Fans Among Jurors"](https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB102427609819652400). *The Wall Street Journal*. Retrieved March 20, 2020.

1. Makeig, John (July 16, 1994). ["Rudy T's DWI case is dropped"](https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Rudy-T-s-DWI-case-is-dropped-2045117.php). *Houston Chronicle*. Retrieved March 19, 2020.

1. Nichols, Bruce (February 23, 1996). ["Football Star Acquitted of Spouse-Abuse Charge"](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1996/02/23/football-star-acquitted-of-spouse-abuse-charge/8b7ae520-c00c-48aa-8ad9-0f603e44a24e/). *Washington Post*. Retrieved March 19, 2020.

1. Flynn, George (November 5, 1997). ["Flight attendant strikes out in suit against baseball's Boggs"](https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Flight-attendant-strikes-out-in-suit-against-2030670.php). *Houston Chronicle*. Retrieved March 19, 2020.

1. Rogers, Brian (October 24, 2008). ["Rockets guard Alston found not guilty of DWI"](https://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/article/Rockets-guard-Alston-found-not-guilty-of-DWI-1784776.php). *Houston Chronicle*. Retrieved March 19, 2020.

1. Thompson, Jack (May 15, 1999). ["Pippen's DWI Charges Dropped"](https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1999-05-15-9905150101-story.html). *Chicago Tribune*. Retrieved March 19, 2020.

1. Rogers, Brian (August 11, 2017). ["Former NBA star Steve Francis star pleads guilty to DWI in Houston court"](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/article/Former-NBA-star-Steve-Francis-star-pleads-guilty-11065846.php). *Houston Chronicle*. Retrieved March 19, 2020.

1. Tilghman, Andrew (December 6, 2004). ["Calvin Murphy found not guilty"](https://www.chron.com/sports/rockets/article/Calvin-Murphy-found-not-guilty-1505447.php). *Houston Chronicle*. Retrieved March 19, 2020.

1. ["Roger Clemens found not guilty"](https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/8068819/roger-clemens-found-not-guilty-all-six-counts-perjury-trial). *ESPN.com*. June 18, 2012. Retrieved March 19, 2020.

1. Barron, David (April 3, 2019). ["Charges against Michael Bennett dropped because of insufficient evidence"](https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/texans/article/Charges-against-Michael-Bennett-dropped-because-13739414.php). *Houston Chronicle*. Retrieved March 19, 2020.

1. Whitmer, Michael (September 12, 2014). ["Adrian Peterson booked and released from jail"](https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/09/12/adrian-peterson-indicted-texas-grand-jury/gi9eXbtzoCTU8Zuh4FrLqK/story.html). *Boston Globe*. Retrieved March 17, 2020.

1. Gluck, Jeff (November 7, 2014). ["Kurt Busch smashed ex-girlfriend's head into wall"](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/11/07/kurt-busch-investigated-for-domestic-assault/18653209/). *USA Today*. Retrieved March 17, 2020.

1. Offredo, Jon; Gluck, Jeff; James, Brant (March 5, 2015). ["Kurt Busch will not face charges in domestic abuse case"](https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2015/03/05/kurt-busch-not-charged-delaware-domestic-abuse-case-ex-girlfriend/22377963/). *USA Today*. Retrieved March 19, 2020.

1. Sunseri, Gina (August 7, 2008). ["Lawyer: Victoria Osteen is Victim of 'Extortion'"](https://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=5531723&page=1). *abcnews.go.com*. Retrieved March 17, 2020.

1. Newby, John (August 31, 2019). ["Tyler Skaggs's Family Hires Famed Attorney Rusty Hardin in Wake of Death"](https://popculture.com/sports/2019/08/31/tyler-skaggs-family-hires-lawyer-rusty-hardin/). *popculture.com*. Retrieved March 17, 2020.

1. ["Texas House announces lawyers who will present case against AG Ken Paxton in Senate impeachment trial"](https://www.khou.com/article/news/politics/ken-paxton-impeachment-rusty-harden-dick-deguierin/285-54799838-8cf7-49ca-ba83-21c94e8aef74). *khou.com*. June 1, 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-03.

1. ["Houston-based attorneys to represent Texas House in AG Paxton's impeachment trial"](https://www.kvue.com/video/news/local/texas/houston-based-attorneys-to-represent-texas-house-in-ag-paxtons-impeachment-trial/285-e1faa367-1bb9-48b5-8390-2b62520e6f32). *kvue.com*. June 1, 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-03.

## External links

- [Official Site](http://www.rustyhardin.com/)
- [Biography](http://www.rustyhardin.com/our_team.asp?page=rusty)
- [Small-town charm earns big-city victories](http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/3211634.html)

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rusty Hardin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusty_Hardin) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rusty_Hardin?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.