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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">As filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on May 8, 2009.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Registration No.
333-</font></div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">UNITED
STATES</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">WASHINGTON,
DC&#160;&#160;20549</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">________________________________</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">FORM
S-8</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">REGISTRATION
STATEMENT</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">UNDER</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">THE SECURITIES ACT
OF 1933</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">________________________________</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Southside
Bancshares, Inc.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(Exact name of
registrant as specified in its charter)</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="39%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Texas</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="4%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">&#160;
    </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="37%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">75-1848732</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="39%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">(State or
      other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="4%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">&#160;
    </font></td>
            <td valign="top" width="37%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">(I.R.S.
      Employer Identification No.)</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">1201
S. Beckham</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Tyler,
Texas 75701</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(Address, including
Zip Code, of Principal Executive Offices)</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Southside
Bancshares, Inc. 2009 Incentive Plan</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">&#160;(Full title
of the plan)</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="43%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Sam
      Dawson</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">President</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Southside
      Bancshares, Inc.</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">1201
      S. Beckham</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Tyler,
      Texas 75701</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">(903)
      531-7111</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">&#160;(Name,
      Address and Telephone Number, including area code</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">of Agent for
      Service)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="44%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Copy
      to:</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">John
      B. Shannon</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Alston
      &amp; Bird LLP</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">One
      Atlantic Center</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">1201
      West Peachtree Street, NW</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Atlanta,
      Georgia 30309-3424</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">(404)
      881-7466</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">_____________</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Indicate by check
mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer,
a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company.&#160;&#160;See the
definitions of&#160;&#8220;large accelerated filer,&#8221; &#8220;accelerated filer&#8221; and &#8220;smaller
reporting company&#8221;&#160;in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <div align="left">
        <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
            <tr>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="27%">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Large
      accelerated filer _</font></div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Non-accelerated
      filer _</font></div>
              </td>
              <td valign="top" width="1%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">&#160;
    </font></td>
              <td align="left" valign="top" width="26%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 4px">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">&#160;Accelerated
      filer <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">X</font></font></div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">&#160;Smaller
      reporting company _</font></div>
              </td>
            </tr>
        </table>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div><br>
    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div id="FTR">
        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
      </div>
      <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
          <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
        </div>
      </div>
      <div id="HDR">
        <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
      </div>
    </div><br>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">CALCULATION
OF REGISTRATION FEE</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="26%" style="BORDER-TOP: black 0.5pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Title of
      securities</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">&#160;to be
      registered</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="15%" style="BORDER-TOP: black 0.5pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Amount
      to</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">be
      registered</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="15%" style="BORDER-TOP: black 0.5pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Proposed</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">maximum</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">offering
      price</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">per
      share</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="16%" style="BORDER-TOP: black 0.5pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Proposed</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">maximum</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">aggregate</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">offering
      price</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="13%" style="BORDER-TOP: black 0.5pt solid; BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Amount
      of</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">registration
      fee</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="26%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Common Stock,
      $1.25 par value</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="15%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">1,000,000
      (1)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="15%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">$20.83
      (2)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="16%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">$20,830,000
      (2)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="13%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">$1,162.31</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td style="WIDTH: 36pt">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(1)</font></div>
            </td>
            <td>
              <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Amount to be
      registered consists of an aggregate of 1,000,000 shares of Southside
      Bancshares, Inc.&#160;&#160;common stock, par value $1.25 per share (the
      &#8220;Common Stock&#8221;), issuable under the Southside Bancshares, Inc. 2009
      Incentive Plan (the &#8220;Plan&#8221;), including any additional shares that may
      become issuable in accordance with the adjustment and anti-dilution
      provisions of the Plan.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="list" width="100%">
          <tr valign="top">
            <td align="right" style="WIDTH: 48px">
              <div style="TEXT-ALIGN: left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(2)&#160;&#160;</font></div>
            </td>
            <td width="934">
              <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Estimated
      solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee pursuant to
      Rule 457(h), based on the average of the high and low prices of the Common
      Stock reported on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on May 5,
      2009.</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div><br>
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      <div id="FTR">
        <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">PART
I</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(a)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The
documents constituting Part I of this registration statement on Form S-8 will be
delivered to participants in the Plan as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the &#8220;Securities Act&#8221;). These documents and
the documents incorporated by reference in this registration statement pursuant
to Item 3 of Part II of this form, taken together, constitute a prospectus that
meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(b)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Upon
written or oral request, the Company will provide, without charge, the documents
incorporated by reference in Item 3 of Part II of this registration
statement.&#160;&#160;The documents are incorporated by reference in the Section
10(a) prospectus.&#160;&#160;Southside Bancshares, Inc. (the &#8220;Company&#8221;) will
also provide, without charge, upon written or oral request, other documents
required to be delivered to employees pursuant to Rule
428(b).&#160;&#160;Requests for the above mentioned information should be
directed to Lee R. Gibson, Southside Bancshares, Inc., 1201 S. Beckham, Tyler,
Texas 75701, at (903) 531-7111.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">PART
II</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Item
3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Incorporation
of Documents by Reference.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>The following documents, filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the &#8220;Commission&#8221;) by the Company are
incorporated herein by reference:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(a)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The
Company&#8217;s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2008;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(b)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;All
other reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the &#8220;Exchange Act&#8221;) since December
31, 2008;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(c)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The
description of the Common Stock of the Company set forth in the Registration
Statement on Form 8-A12G, dated May 12, 1998, filed with the Commission, and any
amendment or report filed for the purpose of further updating such description;
and</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(d)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;All
other documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment to this registration statement that indicates that all securities
offered have been sold or that deregisters all securities that remain
unsold.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Any statement contained in a document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to
be modified or superseded for purposes of this registration statement to the
extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein modifies or supersedes such statement.&#160;&#160;Any such statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of this registration statement.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Item
4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Description
of Securities.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Not applicable.</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Item
5.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Interests
of Named Experts and Counsel.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Not applicable.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Item
6.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Indemnification
of Directors and Officers.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Article 2.02-1.B of
the Texas Business Corporation Act, as amended (the &#8220;TBCA&#8221;), grants to a
corporation the power to indemnify a person who was, is or is threatened to be
made a named defendant or respondent in a proceeding because the person is or
was a director of the corporation against judgments, penalties (including excise
and similar taxes), fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred
in connection therewith, only if it is determined that the person (1) conducted
him or herself in good faith; (2) reasonably believed that (a) in the case of
conduct in his or her official capacity as a director of the corporation, his or
her conduct was in the corporation's best interests, and (b) in all other cases,
his or her conduct was at least not opposed to the corporation's best interests;
and (3) in the case of any criminal proceeding, he or she had no reasonable
cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. Article 2.02-1.C limits
the allowable indemnification by providing that, except to the extent permitted
by Article 2.02-1.E, a director may not be indemnified in respect of a
proceeding in which the person is found liable (1) on the basis that he or she
improperly received a personal benefit, whether or not the benefit resulted from
an action taken in his or her official capacity, or (2) to the corporation.
Article 2.02-1.E provides that if a director is found liable to the corporation
or is found liable on the basis that he or she improperly received a personal
benefit, the permissible indemnification (1) is limited to reasonable expenses
actually incurred by the person in connection with the proceeding, and (2) shall
not be made in respect of any proceeding in which the person shall have been
found liable for willful or intentional misconduct in the performance of his or
her duty to the corporation. Finally, Article 2.02-1.H provides that a
corporation shall indemnify a director against reasonable expenses incurred by
him or her in connection with a proceeding in which he or she is a named
defendant or respondent because he or she is or was a director if he or she has
been wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in defense of the
proceeding.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">With respect to the
officers of a corporation, Article 2.02-1.O of the TBCA provides that a
corporation may indemnify and advance expenses to an officer of the corporation
to the same extent that it may indemnify and advance expenses to directors under
Article 2.02-1. Further, Article 2.02-1.O provides that an officer of a
corporation shall be indemnified as, and to the same extent, provided by Article
2.02-1.H for a director.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">The Amended and
Restated Bylaws of the Company provide that the Company shall indemnify a person
against expenses actually and necessarily incurred by him or her in connection
with the defense of any action, suit, or proceeding in which he or she is made a
party because the person is or was a director or officer of the Company, except
in relation to matters as to which he or she is adjudged to be liable for
negligence or misconduct in performance of duty.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font id="TAB2" style="LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;&#160;&#160;</font>&#160;Officers and
directors of the Company are presently covered by insurance which (with certain
exceptions and within certain limitations) indemnifies them against any losses
or liabilities arising from his or her status as a director or officer.&#160;The
cost of such insurance is borne by the Company as permitted by the laws of the
State of&#160;Texas.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Item
7.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Exemption
from Registration Claimed.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Not
applicable.</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Item
8.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Exhibits.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">See the Exhibit
Index, which is incorporated herein by reference.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Item
9.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Undertakings.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(a)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The
Company hereby undertakes:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(1)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To
file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this registration statement:</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 72pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(i)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To
include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities
Act;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 72pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(ii)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To
reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date
of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the
total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was
registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum
offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume
and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate
offering price set forth in the &#8220;Calculation of Registration Fee&#8221; table in the
effective registration statement; and</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 72pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(iii)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To
include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to
such information in the registration statement;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic">Provided, however</font>, that
paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section do not apply if the
registration statement is on Form S-8, and the information required to be
included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Company pursuant to
section 13 or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by
reference in the registration statement.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(2)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;That,
for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic">bona fide</font> offering
thereof.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(3)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;To
remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the
securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(b)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;The
undersigned Company hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Company&#8217;s annual report
pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable,
each filing of an employee benefit plan&#8217;s annual report pursuant to Section
15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration
statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial <font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-STYLE: italic">bona fide</font> offering
thereof.</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>(c)&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Insofar
as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be
permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company pursuant
to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company has been advised that in
the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event
that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the
payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the Company in the successful defense of any action, suit
or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Company will, unless in the
opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">(Signatures on
following page)</font></div>
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    <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
      <div id="FTR">
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</font></div>
        <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
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</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">SIGNATURES</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Act of 1933, the Company certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe
that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused
this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Tyler, state of Texas, on this 8th day
of May&#160;2009.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 189pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">SOUTHSIDE
BANCSHARES, INC.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 189pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">By:&#160;&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; TEXT-DECORATION: underline">/s/ Sam Dawson<font id="TAB2" style="LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;&#160;&#160;</font>&#160;<font id="TAB2" style="LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;&#160;&#160;</font>&#160;</font>&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 207pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Sam
Dawson</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 171pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">President</font></div>
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    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>POWER OF ATTORNEY</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left">&#160;</div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold">KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,
</font>that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints
Lee R. Gibson and Sam Dawson, and each or any one of them, as his or her true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective
amendments) to this registration statement and to file the same, with all
exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done
by virtue hereof.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font id="TAB1" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt"></font>Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Act, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br>
      <div>
        <div align="center">
          <div align="center">
            <div align="center"><br>
              <div>
                <div align="center">
                  <div align="center">
                    <div align="center">
                      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
                          <tr>
                            <td valign="top" width="32%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 4px">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Signature</font></font></div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                            </td>
                            <td valign="top" width="31%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 4px">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Title</font></font></div>
                            </td>
                            <td valign="top" width="22%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 4px">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial; TEXT-DECORATION: underline"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Date</font></font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="bottom" width="32%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">/s/ B. G.
      Hartley</font></div>
                            </td>
                            <td align="left" rowspan="2" valign="top" width="31%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Chief
      Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board</font></div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">(Principal
      Executive Officer)</font></div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                            </td>
                            <td rowspan="2" valign="top" width="22%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">May 7,
      2009</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">B. G.
      Hartley</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">/s/ Lee R.
      Gibson</font></div>
                            </td>
                            <td align="left" rowspan="2" valign="top" width="31%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Executive
      Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Director</font></div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">(Principal
      Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)</font></div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                            </td>
                            <td rowspan="2" valign="top" width="22%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">May 7,
      2009</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Lee R.
      Gibson</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td valign="top" width="32%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                              <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">&#160;
      </font></div>
                              <div>&#160;</div>
                            </td>
                            <td align="left" rowspan="2" valign="top" width="31%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Vice Chairman
      of the Board</font></div>
                            </td>
                            <td rowspan="2" valign="top" width="22%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">&#160;
    </font></td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Robbie N.
      Edmonson</font></div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">/s/ Sam
      Dawson</font></div>
                            </td>
                            <td align="left" rowspan="2" valign="top" width="31%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">President,
      Secretary and Director</font></div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                            </td>
                            <td rowspan="2" valign="top" width="22%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">May 7,
      2009</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Sam
      Dawson</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">/s/ Herbert
      C. Buie</font></div>
                            </td>
                            <td align="left" rowspan="2" valign="top" width="31%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Director</font></div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                            </td>
                            <td rowspan="2" valign="top" width="22%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">May 7,
      2009</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Herbert C.
      Buie</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">/s/ Alton
      Cade</font></div>
                            </td>
                            <td align="left" rowspan="2" valign="top" width="31%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Director</font></div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                            </td>
                            <td rowspan="2" valign="top" width="22%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">May 7,
      2009</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Alton
      Cade</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">/s/ John R.
      Garrett</font></div>
                            </td>
                            <td align="left" rowspan="2" valign="top" width="31%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Director</font></div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                            </td>
                            <td rowspan="2" valign="top" width="22%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">May 7,
      2009</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">John R. (Bob)
      Garrett</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">/s/ Melvin B.
      Lovelady</font></div>
                            </td>
                            <td align="left" rowspan="2" valign="top" width="31%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Director</font></div>
                            </td>
                            <td rowspan="2" valign="top" width="22%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">May 7,
      2009</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Melvin B.
      Lovelady</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">/s/ Joe
      Norton</font></div>
                            </td>
                            <td align="left" rowspan="2" valign="top" width="31%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Director</font></div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                            </td>
                            <td rowspan="2" valign="top" width="22%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">May 7,
      2009</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Joe
      Norton</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">/s/ Powell W.
      Powell</font></div>
                            </td>
                            <td align="left" rowspan="2" valign="top" width="31%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Director</font></div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                            </td>
                            <td rowspan="2" valign="top" width="22%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">May 7,
      2009</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Powell W.
      Powell</font></div>
                            </td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td valign="top" width="32%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">&#160;</td>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="31%">
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
                              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Director</font></div>
                            </td>
                            <td valign="top" width="22%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">&#160;
    </font></td>
                          </tr>
                          <tr>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="32%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: 4px"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">&#160;<font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">William
      Sheehy</font><font id="TAB2" style="LETTER-SPACING: 9pt">&#160;&#160;&#160;</font></font></td>
                            <td align="left" valign="top" width="31%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">&#160;</font></td>
                            <td valign="top" width="22%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">&#160;</font></td>
                          </tr>
                      </table>
                    </div>
                  </div>
                </div>
              </div><br>
              <div id="PGBRK" style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt">
                <div id="FTR">
                  <div id="GLFTR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
                </div>
                <div id="PN" style="PAGE-BREAK-AFTER: always">
                  <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
                  <div style="WIDTH: 100%; TEXT-ALIGN: center">
                    <hr style="COLOR: black" noshade size="2">
                  </div>
                </div>
                <div id="HDR">
                  <div id="GLHDR" style="WIDTH: 100%" align="right"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: #000000; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">&#160;
</font></div>
                </div>
              </div><br><br></div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">EXHIBIT
INDEX</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">TO</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">REGISTRATION
STATEMENT ON FORM S-8</font></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div>
      <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%">
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="24%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Exhibit Number</font></font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="57%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Description</font></font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="24%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">4.1</font></div>
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt">&#160;</div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="57%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Amended and
      Restated Articles of Incorporation of Southside Bancshares, Inc. (filed as
      Exhibit&#160;3(a) to the Company&#8217;s Form&#160;8-K, filed April 20, 2009,
      and incorporated herein by reference)</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="24%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">4.2</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="57%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Amended and
      Restated Bylaws of Southside Banchsares, Inc. (filed as Exhibit&#160;3(b)
      to the Company&#8217;s Form 8-K, filed March 5, 2008, and incorporated herein by
      reference)</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="24%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">4.3</font></div>
            </td>
            <td align="left" valign="top" width="57%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Southside
      Bancshares, Inc. 2009 Incentive Plan (filed as Exhibit&#160;99.1 to the
      Company&#8217;s Form&#160;8-K , filed April 20, 2009, and incorporated herein by
      reference)</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="24%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">5.1</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="57%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Opinion of
      Alston &amp; Bird LLP</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="24%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">23.1</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="57%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Consent of
      Alston &amp; Bird LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="24%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">23.2</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="57%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Consent of
      PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
          <tr>
            <td valign="top" width="24%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="center"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">24.1</font></div>
            </td>
            <td valign="top" width="57%">
              <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: arial">Power of
      Attorney (included on signature page of this registration
      statement)</font></div>
            </td>
          </tr>
      </table>
    </div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
    <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div><br></body>
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "SOUTHSIDE BANCSHARES INC", "cik": "0000705432", "assigned-sic": "6022", "irs-number": "751848732", "state-of-incorporation": "TX", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-159097", "film-number": "09811790"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1201 S BECKHAM", "city": "TYLER", "state": "TX", "zip": "75701", "phone": "9035317111"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "SOBANK INC", "date-changed": "19920703"}}
form_s-8.htm
As filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on May 8, 2009.
Registration No.
333-
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
DC  20549
________________________________
FORM
S-8
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT
OF 1933
________________________________
Southside
Bancshares, Inc.
(Exact name of
registrant as specified in its charter)
Texas
75-1848732
(State or
      other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
(I.R.S.
      Employer Identification No.)
1201
S. Beckham
Tyler,
Texas 75701
(Address, including
Zip Code, of Principal Executive Offices)
Southside
Bancshares, Inc. 2009 Incentive Plan
(Full title
of the plan)
Sam
      Dawson
President
Southside
      Bancshares, Inc.
1201
      S. Beckham
Tyler,
      Texas 75701
(903)
      531-7111
(Name,
      Address and Telephone Number, including area code
of Agent for
      Service)
Copy
      to:
John
      B. Shannon
Alston
      & Bird LLP
One
      Atlantic Center
1201
      West Peachtree Street, NW
Atlanta,
      Georgia 30309-3424
(404)
      881-7466
_____________
Indicate by check
mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer,
a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company.  See the
definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller
reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large
      accelerated filer _
Non-accelerated
      filer _
Accelerated
      filer
X
Smaller
      reporting company _
CALCULATION
OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of
      securities
to be
      registered
Amount
      to
be
      registered
Proposed
maximum
offering
      price
per
      share
Proposed
maximum
aggregate
offering
      price
Amount
      of
registration
      fee
Common Stock,
      $1.25 par value
1,000,000
      (1)
$20.83
      (2)
$20,830,000
      (2)
$1,162.31
(1)
Amount to be
      registered consists of an aggregate of 1,000,000 shares of Southside
      Bancshares, Inc.  common stock, par value $1.25 per share (the
      "Common Stock"), issuable under the Southside Bancshares, Inc. 2009
      Incentive Plan (the "Plan"), including any additional shares that may
      become issuable in accordance with the adjustment and anti-dilution
      provisions of the Plan.
(2)
Estimated
      solely for the purpose of determining the registration fee pursuant to
      Rule 457(h), based on the average of the high and low prices of the Common
      Stock reported on the NASDAQ Global Select Market on May 5,
      2009.
PART
I
INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
(a)           The
documents constituting Part I of this registration statement on Form S-8 will be
delivered to participants in the Plan as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). These documents and
the documents incorporated by reference in this registration statement pursuant
to Item 3 of Part II of this form, taken together, constitute a prospectus that
meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.
(b)           Upon
written or oral request, the Company will provide, without charge, the documents
incorporated by reference in Item 3 of Part II of this registration
statement.  The documents are incorporated by reference in the Section
10(a) prospectus.  Southside Bancshares, Inc. (the "Company") will
also provide, without charge, upon written or oral request, other documents
required to be delivered to employees pursuant to Rule
428(b).  Requests for the above mentioned information should be
directed to Lee R. Gibson, Southside Bancshares, Inc., 1201 S. Beckham, Tyler,
Texas 75701, at (903) 531-7111.
PART
II
INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item
3.                 Incorporation
of Documents by Reference.
The following documents, filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") by the Company are
incorporated herein by reference:
(a)           The
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
2008;
(b)           All
other reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") since December
31, 2008;
(c)           The
description of the Common Stock of the Company set forth in the Registration
Statement on Form 8-A12G, dated May 12, 1998, filed with the Commission, and any
amendment or report filed for the purpose of further updating such description;
and
(d)           All
other documents subsequently filed by the Company pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective
amendment to this registration statement that indicates that all securities
offered have been sold or that deregisters all securities that remain
unsold.
Any statement contained in a document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to
be modified or superseded for purposes of this registration statement to the
extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference
herein modifies or supersedes such statement.  Any such statement so
modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded,
to constitute a part of this registration statement.
Item
4.                 Description
of Securities.
Not applicable.
Item
5.                 Interests
of Named Experts and Counsel.
Not applicable.
Item
6.                 Indemnification
of Directors and Officers.
Article 2.02-1.B of
the Texas Business Corporation Act, as amended (the "TBCA"), grants to a
corporation the power to indemnify a person who was, is or is threatened to be
made a named defendant or respondent in a proceeding because the person is or
was a director of the corporation against judgments, penalties (including excise
and similar taxes), fines, settlements and reasonable expenses actually incurred
in connection therewith, only if it is determined that the person (1) conducted
him or herself in good faith; (2) reasonably believed that (a) in the case of
conduct in his or her official capacity as a director of the corporation, his or
her conduct was in the corporation's best interests, and (b) in all other cases,
his or her conduct was at least not opposed to the corporation's best interests;
and (3) in the case of any criminal proceeding, he or she had no reasonable
cause to believe that his or her conduct was unlawful. Article 2.02-1.C limits
the allowable indemnification by providing that, except to the extent permitted
by Article 2.02-1.E, a director may not be indemnified in respect of a
proceeding in which the person is found liable (1) on the basis that he or she
improperly received a personal benefit, whether or not the benefit resulted from
an action taken in his or her official capacity, or (2) to the corporation.
Article 2.02-1.E provides that if a director is found liable to the corporation
or is found liable on the basis that he or she improperly received a personal
benefit, the permissible indemnification (1) is limited to reasonable expenses
actually incurred by the person in connection with the proceeding, and (2) shall
not be made in respect of any proceeding in which the person shall have been
found liable for willful or intentional misconduct in the performance of his or
her duty to the corporation. Finally, Article 2.02-1.H provides that a
corporation shall indemnify a director against reasonable expenses incurred by
him or her in connection with a proceeding in which he or she is a named
defendant or respondent because he or she is or was a director if he or she has
been wholly successful, on the merits or otherwise, in defense of the
proceeding.
With respect to the
officers of a corporation, Article 2.02-1.O of the TBCA provides that a
corporation may indemnify and advance expenses to an officer of the corporation
to the same extent that it may indemnify and advance expenses to directors under
Article 2.02-1. Further, Article 2.02-1.O provides that an officer of a
corporation shall be indemnified as, and to the same extent, provided by Article
2.02-1.H for a director.
The Amended and
Restated Bylaws of the Company provide that the Company shall indemnify a person
against expenses actually and necessarily incurred by him or her in connection
with the defense of any action, suit, or proceeding in which he or she is made a
party because the person is or was a director or officer of the Company, except
in relation to matters as to which he or she is adjudged to be liable for
negligence or misconduct in performance of duty.
Officers and
directors of the Company are presently covered by insurance which (with certain
exceptions and within certain limitations) indemnifies them against any losses
or liabilities arising from his or her status as a director or officer. The
cost of such insurance is borne by the Company as permitted by the laws of the
State of Texas.
Item
7.                 Exemption
from Registration Claimed.
Not
applicable.
Item
8.                 Exhibits.
See the Exhibit
Index, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Item
9.                 Undertakings.
(a)           The
Company hereby undertakes:
(1)           To
file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a
post-effective amendment to this registration statement:
(i)           To
include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities
Act;
(ii)           To
reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date
of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change
in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the
total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was
registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum
offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume
and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate
offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the
effective registration statement; and
(iii)           To
include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not
previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to
such information in the registration statement;
Provided, however
, that
paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section do not apply if the
registration statement is on Form S-8, and the information required to be
included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in
reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Company pursuant to
section 13 or section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by
reference in the registration statement.
(2)           That,
for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such
post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide
offering
thereof.
(3)           To
remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the
securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the
offering.
(b)           The
undersigned Company hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any
liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the Company's annual report
pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable,
each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section
15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the registration
statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time
shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide
offering
thereof.
(c)           Insofar
as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be
permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Company pursuant
to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Company has been advised that in
the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is against public policy as
expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event
that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the
payment by the Company of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or
controlling person of the Company in the successful defense of any action, suit
or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Company will, unless in the
opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
(Signatures on
following page)
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Act of 1933, the Company certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe
that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused
this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Tyler, state of Texas, on this 8th day
of May 2009.
SOUTHSIDE
BANCSHARES, INC.
By:
/s/ Sam Dawson
Sam
Dawson
President
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS,
that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints
Lee R. Gibson and Sam Dawson, and each or any one of them, as his or her true
and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and
resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any
and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective
amendments) to this registration statement and to file the same, with all
exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary
to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as they might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done
by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Act, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.
Signature
Title
Date
/s/ B. G.
      Hartley
Chief
      Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board
(Principal
      Executive Officer)
May 7,
      2009
B. G.
      Hartley
/s/ Lee R.
      Gibson
Executive
      Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Director
(Principal
      Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)
May 7,
      2009
Lee R.
      Gibson
Vice Chairman
      of the Board
Robbie N.
      Edmonson
/s/ Sam
      Dawson
President,
      Secretary and Director
May 7,
      2009
Sam
      Dawson
/s/ Herbert
      C. Buie
Director
May 7,
      2009
Herbert C.
      Buie
/s/ Alton
      Cade
Director
May 7,
      2009
Alton
      Cade
/s/ John R.
      Garrett
Director
May 7,
      2009
John R. (Bob)
      Garrett
/s/ Melvin B.
      Lovelady
Director
May 7,
      2009
Melvin B.
      Lovelady
/s/ Joe
      Norton
Director
May 7,
      2009
Joe
      Norton
/s/ Powell W.
      Powell
Director
May 7,
      2009
Powell W.
      Powell
Director
William
      Sheehy
EXHIBIT
INDEX
TO
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT ON FORM S-8
Exhibit Number
Description
4.1
Amended and
      Restated Articles of Incorporation of Southside Bancshares, Inc. (filed as
      Exhibit 3(a) to the Company's Form 8-K, filed April 20, 2009,
      and incorporated herein by reference)
4.2
Amended and
      Restated Bylaws of Southside Banchsares, Inc. (filed as Exhibit 3(b)
      to the Company's Form 8-K, filed March 5, 2008, and incorporated herein by
      reference)
4.3
Southside
      Bancshares, Inc. 2009 Incentive Plan (filed as Exhibit 99.1 to the
      Company's Form 8-K , filed April 20, 2009, and incorporated herein by
      reference)
5.1
Opinion of
      Alston & Bird LLP
23.1
Consent of
      Alston & Bird LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2
Consent of
      PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
24.1
Power of
      Attorney (included on signature page of this registration
      statement)