Changes

In 1979, Meier was voted among the "Ten Worst Legislators" of that year's session by ''Texas Monthly'' [[magazine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.texasmonthly.com/mag/bestworst.php#1979|title=Best and Worst Legislators|publisher=''Texas Monthly''|date=1979}}</ref> a designation that does not always embarrass the selected member. In that same session, Meier was the president pro tempore of the Texas Senate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lrl.texas.gov/legeLeaders/members/presprotem.cfm|title=Senate Presidents Pro Tempore|publisher=Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=August 21, 2020}}</ref>

In 1979, Meier was voted among the "Ten Worst Legislators" of that year's session by ''Texas Monthly'' [[magazine]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.texasmonthly.com/mag/bestworst.php#1979|title=Best and Worst Legislators|publisher=''Texas Monthly''|date=1979}}</ref> a designation that does not always embarrass the selected member. In that same session, Meier was the president pro tempore of the Texas Senate.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lrl.texas.gov/legeLeaders/members/presprotem.cfm|title=Senate Presidents Pro Tempore|publisher=Legislative Reference Library|accessdate=August 21, 2020}}</ref>

A former [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Meier was the unsuccessful [[Republican Party|Republican]] nominee for Texas attorney general in the 1982 [[general election]]. [[Mark White]] vacated the position to become the Democratic nominee for governor and unseated [[Bill Clements|William P. Clements, Jr.]], of Dallas, the state's first Republican governor since [[Reconstruction]].  Clements and the entire Republican slate were soundly defeated. Meier lost the race to the  Democratic [[U.S. Representative]]  James Albon Mattox (1943-2008), who vacated a Dallas-area U.S. House seat to become attorney general. Mattox won the Democratic nomination over former state Senator [[Max R. Sherma]], then of [[Amarillo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/07/us/around-the-nation-apathy-of-voters-marks-runoff-election-in-texas.html|title=Around the Nation: Apathy of Voters Marks Runoff Election in Texas|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|date=June 7, 1982|accessdate=August 21, 2020}}</ref> In the general election, Mattox utilized campaign rhetoric positioning himself as "the people's lawyer," and suggested that Meier was too closely aligned with the interests of business. Meier forfeited his state senate seat when he ran for attorney general. On April 28, 2005, Meier was among several dozen living former Texas senators honored by the  legislature.

A former [[Democratic Party|Democrat]], Meier was the unsuccessful [[Republican Party|Republican]] nominee for Texas attorney general in the 1982 [[general election]]. [[Mark White]] vacated the position to become the Democratic nominee for governor and unseated [[Bill Clements|William P. Clements, Jr.]], of Dallas, the state's first Republican governor since [[Reconstruction]].  Clements and the entire Republican slate were soundly defeated. Meier lost the race to the  Democratic [[U.S. Representative]]  James Albon Mattox (1943-2008), who vacated a Dallas-area U.S. House seat to become attorney general. Mattox won the Democratic nomination over former state Senator [[Max R. Sherman]], then of [[Amarillo]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/07/us/around-the-nation-apathy-of-voters-marks-runoff-election-in-texas.html|title=Around the Nation: Apathy of Voters Marks Runoff Election in Texas|publisher=''[[The New York Times]]''|date=June 7, 1982|accessdate=August 21, 2020}}</ref> In the general election, Mattox utilized campaign rhetoric positioning himself as "the people's lawyer," and suggested that Meier was too closely aligned with the interests of business. Meier forfeited his state senate seat when he ran for attorney general. On April 28, 2005, Meier was among several dozen living former Texas senators honored by the  legislature.

In March 2008, Meier  won a three-candidate Republican primary for the Texas Second Court of  Appeals, and he was unopposed in the ensuing general election. He was reelected without opposition in 2014 and retired in January 2019, with two years left in his second term. A provision of the Texas code forbids a judge from seeking reelection once he turns seventy-five.<ref name=ballotpedia>{{cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Bill_Meier|title=Bill Meier|publisher=Ballotpedia|accessdate=August 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article173605726.html|title=Chief justice steps down as turnover strains busy Fort Worth appeals court|publisher=''The Fort Worth Star-Telegram''|date=September 17,  1977|author=Max B. Baker|accessdate=August 21, 2020}}</ref>

In March 2008, Meier  won a three-candidate Republican primary for the Texas Second Court of  Appeals, and he was unopposed in the ensuing general election. He was reelected without opposition in 2014 and retired in January 2019, with two years left in his second term. A provision of the Texas code forbids a judge from seeking reelection once he turns seventy-five.<ref name=ballotpedia>{{cite web|url=https://ballotpedia.org/Bill_Meier|title=Bill Meier|publisher=Ballotpedia|accessdate=August 21, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/fort-worth/article173605726.html|title=Chief justice steps down as turnover strains busy Fort Worth appeals court|publisher=''The Fort Worth Star-Telegram''|date=September 17,  1977|author=Max B. Baker|accessdate=August 21, 2020}}</ref>