Joe H. Tonahill (1914âÂÂ2001) was an American lawyer.
Tonahill was born in Hughes Springs, Texas. He was a graduate of the University of Texas and George Washington University. He married Violett Smith, daughter of Howard W. Smith in 1941. Howard W. Smith, a congressman, was his father-in-law.
During his career, he worked on Jack Ruby and Melvin Belli's cases. He was the co-founder of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Texas Trial Lawyers Association. He was also a wrestler.
Posthumously, he was inducted to the Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame in 2018. Joe Tonahill Award is named after him.