James E. Yantis (April 13, 1856 – December 1, 1918) was a justice of the Texas Supreme Court from June 1915 to March 1918.
After graduating from Sam Houston Normal School (now Sam Houston State University) in 1883, he read law in the office of John Church in McKinney, Texas, to gain admission to the bar in 1887.
[1] While practicing there, Yantis represented accused murderer Thomas J. Fulcher in a high-profile case.
[1] In 1915, Governor James E. Ferguson appointed Yantis to a seat on the Texas Supreme Court vacated by the elevation of Nelson Phillips to the office of Chief Justice following the death of the previous chief justice, Thomas Jefferson Brown.
[1] He was re-elected to the seat in 1916, serving until March 1918, when he resigned due to poor health.