Born in Marlin, Texas, Rice received a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Texas School of Law in 1913, a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1914 and a Master of Laws from the University of Texas School of Law 1914.
He was an assistant county attorney of Falls County, Texas from 1914 to 1917 before serving in the United States Army Air Corps during World War I from 1917 to 1919.
He was Chief Justice of the Texas Court of Civil Appeals from 1940 to 1945.
[1] On September 10, 1945, Rice was nominated by President Harry S. Truman to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas vacated by Judge Walter Angus Keeling.
His service terminated on March 14, 1964, due to his death in Marlin.