J. Shelby Sharpe was born and educated in Fort Worth, Texas, until he went to the University of Texas in Austin for undergraduate and graduate degrees. In 1962 he met and married Martha Holland from Stamford, Texas and they have three children, nine grandchildren and one great-grand child. J. Shelby Sharpe, J.D. (University of Texas School of Law) was licensed to practice in 1965 following his graduation from law school. He served the Supreme Court of Texas as a briefing attorney for Chief Justice Robert W. Calvert from 1965 to 1966. He is licensed to practice before all state courts in the State of Texas as well as before the Supreme Court of the United States, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal, Fifth, Sixth and Tenth Circuits and before the United States District Courts for the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas and the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas. He has been in private practice in Fort Worth, Texas since 1966 and is owner of Law Offices of Sharpe & Rector. During the 1980s, he represented the Home Schoolers in the Leeper case. He represents the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention as its general counsel, four seminaries, numerous churches, USA Radio Network, and Point of View. Over 90 percent of his practice involves the defense of religious organizations. There are many reported opinions in favor of the religious organizations he has represented.