<P> In 1981, he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a member of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity and the Young Republicans' Club . He met his wife, Cecilia Phelan, while attending UT Austin . In 1984, he earned his J.D. degree from the Vanderbilt University Law School in Nashville, Tennessee . </P> <P> Abbott went into private practice, working for Butler and Binion, LLC between 1984 and 1992 . Abbott's political career began in Houston, where he served as a state trial judge in the 129th District Court for three years . </P> <P> On July 14, 1984, at age 26, Abbott was paralyzed below waist - level when an oak tree fell on him while he was jogging following a storm . He had two steel rods implanted in his spine, underwent extensive rehabilitation at TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston, and has used a wheelchair ever since . He sued the homeowner and negotiated an insurance settlement worth more than US $10 million, resulting in payouts of US $14,000 a month . </P> <P> Then - Governor George W. Bush appointed Abbott to the Texas Supreme Court, and he was then twice elected to the state's highest civil court--in 1996 (two - year term) and 1998 (six - year term). In 1996, Abbott had no Democratic opponent but was challenged by Libertarian John B. Hawley of Dallas . Abbott defeated Hawley 84--16% . In 1998, Abbott defeated Democrat David Van Os 60--40% . </P>

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