Alumnus and Famed Lawyer John Raley Visits OU Law

OU Law alumnus and Houston attorney John Raley ('84) returned to the College of Law and spoke on his successful pro bono case that resulted in the exoneration of Michael Morton, an innocent man who spent 25 years in prison for a murder he did not commit.

 

In 1987, Morton was wrongfully convicted of the murder of his wife. With new and extensive DNA testing, Raley convinced a Texas court of Morton’s innocence. The pro bono case lasted seven years. Raley's efforts also resulted in the historic and landmark Michael Morton Act, requiring prosecutors to provide defense counsel free access to investigation information. The documentary, "An Unreal Dream: The Michael Morton Story," chronicles the wrongful conviction, imprisonment, and exoneration of Michael Morton.

 

Raley is a trial lawyer with more than 25 years of courtroom experience. He earned his bachelor’s and juris doctor degrees from OU. He also attended the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, obtaining an L.L.M. in International Law in 1988. He is board certified in personal injury trial law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has been named in Texas Monthly’s Texas Super Lawyers magazine every year since its inception in 2003. In 2013 he received a Presidential Citation by the Texas State Bar for his work on the Morton case, and in 2015 he was given the Houston Bar Association's President's Award for Pro Bono Service.