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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                   [LETTERHEAD OF FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI L.L.P.]


August 8, 2001



Stewart Information Services Corporation
1980 Post Oak Boulevard
Houston, TX 77056



Ladies and Gentlemen:


         We have acted as counsel to Stewart Information Services Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the proposed offering
by the Company of up to 2,875,000 shares of common stock, par value $1.00 per
share, of the Company (the "Shares"). We refer to registration statement on Form
S-3 (Registration No. 333-58022) filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") by the Company on March 30, 2001, as amended by
Amendment No. 1 filed on May 30, 2000 and Amendment No. 2 filed on June 21, 2001
and as supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement dated August 8, 2001 (as so
amended and supplemented, the "Registration Statement").

         As counsel to the Company, we have examined such corporate records,
documents and questions of law as we have deemed necessary or appropriate for
the purposes of this opinion. In such examinations, we have assumed the
genuineness of signatures and the conformity to the originals of the documents
supplied to us as copies. As to various questions of fact material to this
opinion, we have relied upon statements and certificates of officers and
representatives of the Company. Without limiting the foregoing, we have examined
the Underwriting Agreement, dated August 8, 2001, between the Company and
Merrill Lynch & Co., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and each
of the other Underwriters named in Schedule A thereto (the "Underwriting
Agreement").

         Based upon the foregoing, and having regard for such legal
considerations as we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that the Shares have
been duly authorized by the Company for issuance, and the Company has full
corporate power and authority to issue, sell and deliver the Shares and, when
issued and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the
terms of the Underwriting Agreement, will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.

         The opinions expressed herein are limited exclusively to the federal
laws of the United States of America, the laws of the State of Texas, the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware and the applicable provisions
of the Delaware constitution and reported decisions concerning such laws and we
are expressing no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other
jurisdiction.




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         We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an Exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the statements made with respect to us under the
caption "Legal Matters" in the Prospectus and Prospectus Supplement included as
a part of the Registration Statement.




                                     Very truly yours,

                                     /s/ FULBRIGHT & JAWORSKI L.L.P.

                                     Fulbright & Jaworski L.L.P.