INSIDER
Ken Paxton and Texas House members accuse each other of mischaracterizing Robert Robersonโs case
Read full article: Ken Paxton and Texas House members accuse each other of mischaracterizing Robert Robersonโs caseAfter the attorney general insisted on the death row inmateโs guilt in a graphic press release, four lawmakers issued a point-by-point rebuttal.
Gov. Abbott says House Committee โstepped out of lineโ with subpoena for death row inmate
Read full article: Gov. Abbott says House Committee โstepped out of lineโ with subpoena for death row inmateTexas Governor Greg Abbott says the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence โstepped out of lineโ by subpoenaing death row inmate Robert Roberson and delaying his execution.
After Roberson ruling, upcoming Court of Criminal Appeals election in the spotlight
Read full article: After Roberson ruling, upcoming Court of Criminal Appeals election in the spotlightThree of the five judges who allowed Robert Robersonโs execution to proceed will be leaving the court after Paxton-backed primary challenges.
Texas was about to execute Robert Roberson. Then a last-ditch tactic bought him more time
Read full article: Texas was about to execute Robert Roberson. Then a last-ditch tactic bought him more timeRobert Roberson, who had been set to be the first person in the U.S. to be put to death for a murder conviction tied to a diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome, had his execution delayed after a dramatic few hours of legal wrangling among three different Texas courts.
Texas Supreme Court temporarily stops Robert Robersonโs execution
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court temporarily stops Robert Robersonโs executionThe stateโs highest civil court said it wants a lower court to resolve a separation-of-powers issue raised by a group of Texas lawmakers who subpoenaed the death row inmate the night before he was set to be put to death.
Can ire over abortion ban finally put a Democrat on the Texas Supreme Court?
Read full article: Can ire over abortion ban finally put a Democrat on the Texas Supreme Court?Three Republican incumbents are being targeted for their role in recent abortion rulings by a new Democratic political action committee.
Texas Supreme Court denies AG Paxtonโs attempt to overturn State Fair of Texas gun ban
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court denies AG Paxtonโs attempt to overturn State Fair of Texas gun banThe Texas Supreme Court has denied Attorney General Ken Paxtonโs filing seeking to stop the State Fair of Texas from prohibiting handguns on the property.
Texas Supreme Court upholds ban on youth gender transitions. Itโs the largest state with such a law
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court upholds ban on youth gender transitions. Itโs the largest state with such a lawThe Texas Supreme Court has upheld the stateโs ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender youths and rejected pleas from parents that it violates their right to decide on and seek care for their children.
Texas Supreme Court upholds ban on transition-related care for minors
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court upholds ban on transition-related care for minorsParents and medical providers of transgender adolescents sued Texas, challenging the constitutionality of a restriction on puberty blockers and hormone therapy.
Texas Supreme Court keeps โUplift Harrisโ on hold, stopping Harris County from distributing guaranteed income funds
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court keeps โUplift Harrisโ on hold, stopping Harris County from distributing guaranteed income fundsOn Friday, the Texas Supreme Court ruled against Harris County from sending financial assistance to in-need families under a new income pilot program after a political match between the Texas Attorney General.
Texas Supreme Court rejects challenge to state's abortion law over medical exceptions
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court rejects challenge to state's abortion law over medical exceptionsThe Texas Supreme Court has rejected a challenge to one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the U.S. following a lawsuit by women who had serious pregnancy complications.
Alabama IVF ruling highlights importance of state supreme court races in this year's US elections
Read full article: Alabama IVF ruling highlights importance of state supreme court races in this year's US electionsThe recent ruling in Alabama that frozen embryos are legally considered children has created a political firestorm after the decision halted treatment for many couples trying to have families through fertility treatments.
Texas Supreme Court hears legal challenge to ban on gender-transition care for kids
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court hears legal challenge to ban on gender-transition care for kidsA fight over allowing transgender children to access puberty blockers and hormone therapies could hinge on justicesโ interpretation of parental rights.
Bidens invite Kate Cox, Dallas mom who sued to terminate pregnancy, to State of the Union address
Read full article: Bidens invite Kate Cox, Dallas mom who sued to terminate pregnancy, to State of the Union addressThe Supreme Court of Texas ruled against Coxโs lawsuit to block the stateโs abortion ban. She traveled out of state to have an abortion.
Texas AG Ken Paxton says caller made false report to police describing โlife-threatening situationโ at McKinney home
Read full article: Texas AG Ken Paxton says caller made false report to police describing โlife-threatening situationโ at McKinney homeAttorney General Ken Paxton is speaking out after a false report was made to 911 by an unidentified caller describing a โlife-threatening situationโ at his familyโs McKinney home on New Yearโs Day.
Texas Supreme Court declines to revive billionaireโs defamation lawsuit against Beto OโRourke
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court declines to revive billionaireโs defamation lawsuit against Beto OโRourkeKelcy Warren, a Dallas pipeline billionaire, sued OโRourke in early 2022, saying the Democrat defamed him with critical comments about his companyโs windfall profits after the Texas energy-grid collapse in February 2021.
Texas Supreme Court blocks order allowing abortion; woman who sought it leaves state
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court blocks order allowing abortion; woman who sought it leaves stateA judge ruled that Kate Cox was allowed to terminate her non-viable pregnancy, but on Friday night, the Texas Supreme Court put that ruling on hold.
Texas Supreme Court temporarily halts ruling allowing Dallas woman to get an abortion
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court temporarily halts ruling allowing Dallas woman to get an abortionAfter a Travis County district judge cleared the way for Kate Cox, 31, to terminate her pregnancy, Ken Paxton petitioned the stateโs highest court to halt the ruling.
Texas Supreme Court considers abortion challenge
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court considers abortion challengeIn August, a judge ruled that the stateโs near-total abortion ban should not apply to medically complicated pregnancies. The state appealed that ruling to the Texas Supreme Court, putting it on hold.
Texas Supreme Court hears arguments in case challenging abortion ban for medical emergencies
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court hears arguments in case challenging abortion ban for medical emergenciesThe Texas Supreme Court is expected to hear arguments on Tuesday from litigators on behalf of 22 women who were denied abortions.
Judge pauses Ken Paxton whistleblower lawsuit
Read full article: Judge pauses Ken Paxton whistleblower lawsuitFormer top aides to the Texas attorney general are seeking damages for their firings after they reported Paxton to the FBI. The Legislature opted not to authorize a $3.3 million settlement in the lawsuit.
Texas judgeโs refusal to marry gay couples goes before state supreme court
Read full article: Texas judgeโs refusal to marry gay couples goes before state supreme courtTexas Supreme Court justices heard arguments Wednesday in the case of a Waco judge who refused to marry same-sex couples. It is unclear when the high court will issue a ruling.
Lawsuit by Attorney General Ken Paxtonโs accusers can continue, Texas Supreme Court rules
Read full article: Lawsuit by Attorney General Ken Paxtonโs accusers can continue, Texas Supreme Court rulesThe whistleblower lawsuit, which argues that four senior staffers were improperly fired in retaliation for reporting Paxton to the FBI, returns to a Travis County trial court for action.
A unique Texas legal rule lets the attorney generalโs office supersede some judgesโ orders
Read full article: A unique Texas legal rule lets the attorney generalโs office supersede some judgesโ ordersLawyers criticize a provision they say erodes the separation of powers between Texasโ executive branch and its courts. Itโs been used repeatedly this year as Texans try to block new state laws from going into effect
Things to know about the latest court and policy action on transgender issues in the US
Read full article: Things to know about the latest court and policy action on transgender issues in the USAfter the latest wave of legal rulings on restrictions for transgender people, a Texas ban on gender-affirming care for minors is in effect.
Texas high court allows law banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors to take effect
Read full article: Texas high court allows law banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors to take effectThe Texas Supreme Court will allow the new state law banning gender-affirming care for minors to take effect on Friday, setting up Texas to be the most populous state with such restrictions on transgender children.
Texas high court allows law banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors to take effect
Read full article: Texas high court allows law banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors to take effectThe Texas Supreme Court will allow the new state law banning gender-affirming care for minors to take effect on Friday, setting up Texas to be the most populous state with such restrictions on transgender children.
Texas Supreme Court lets state law eliminating Harris County elections chief stand, for now
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court lets state law eliminating Harris County elections chief stand, for nowThe ruling means the November elections in the stateโs largest county will be overseen by two other county officials. Legislators targeted Harris Countyโs elections department after taking issue with the way the 2022 elections were run.
Texas Supreme Court denies Harris Countyโs request to temporarily block law that would abolish elections office
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court denies Harris Countyโs request to temporarily block law that would abolish elections officeThe Texas Supreme Court denied Harris Countyโs request to temporarily block the implementation of Senate Bill 1750 on Sept. 1, which will abolish the Harris County Election Administratorโs Office, the Harris County Attorneyโs Office said on Tuesday.
ERCOT canโt be sued over power grid failures during 2021 winter storm, Texas Supreme Court rules
Read full article: ERCOT canโt be sued over power grid failures during 2021 winter storm, Texas Supreme Court rulesThe all-Republican court narrowly found that the nonprofit corporation operating the stateโs electrical grid qualifies for sovereign immunity, which protects government entities from lawsuits.
Texas Supreme Court chief justice calls for higher judicial salaries, business courts
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court chief justice calls for higher judicial salaries, business courtsIn his biennial state of the judiciary, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht also warned against politicsโ encroachment into the third branch of government.
Texas education agency ready to find new leaders for Houston school district, documents show
Read full article: Texas education agency ready to find new leaders for Houston school district, documents showTexasโ education agency first moved to take over the district in 2019 after years of low student performance at a single Houston ISD high school. Critics said the district has made improvements since then.
Ken Paxtonโs whistleblowers ask Texas Supreme Court to take up their case as $3.3 million settlement in jeopardy
Read full article: Ken Paxtonโs whistleblowers ask Texas Supreme Court to take up their case as $3.3 million settlement in jeopardyLawyers for four former employees who accused the attorney general of firing them for reporting alleged crimes to authorities say Paxton wonโt agree to finalizing the deadline by the end of this legislative session.
Parents, educators and students hold rally denouncing state takeover of Houston ISD
Read full article: Parents, educators and students hold rally denouncing state takeover of Houston ISDOn Thursday afternoon, some parents, educators and students will hold a news conference opposing the stateโs takeover of the Houston Independent School District.
Texas Supreme Court clears way for stateโs education agency to take over Houston ISD
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court clears way for stateโs education agency to take over Houston ISDThe decision from the stateโs highest court would allow the TEA to move forward with its plan to replace Houston ISDโs school board members over low academic scores.
Judge orders Texas to stop using expired lethal injection drugs, throwing Tuesdayโs execution of Robert Fratta in doubt
Read full article: Judge orders Texas to stop using expired lethal injection drugs, throwing Tuesdayโs execution of Robert Fratta in doubtFratta was convicted in the 1994 murder-for-hire of his wife. Lawyers are challenging Texasโ routine of extending the expiration dates of its lethal drugs, a practice begun when many pharmacies began refusing to provide doses for executions.
Texas Supreme Court will decide whether ERCOT should be immune from lawsuits sparked by deadly winter storm
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court will decide whether ERCOT should be immune from lawsuits sparked by deadly winter stormMany people and insurers sued the Electric Reliability Council of Texas after the 2021 freeze. The nonprofit says it shouldnโt be liable. The state Supreme Court has a chance to weigh in.
Texas Supreme Court says it canโt force the state to process deluge of applications for tax break expiring this year
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court says it canโt force the state to process deluge of applications for tax break expiring this yearThe program, known as Chapter 313, provides companies with billions of dollars in property tax breaks. The court said it is up to the Legislature to make the call on what to do as the program is set to expire and the state is swamped with applications.
Republican dominance continues for the two highest courts in Texas
Read full article: Republican dominance continues for the two highest courts in TexasThree seats were up for election in the Texas Supreme Court, which handles civil cases, and three in the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Democrats havenโt been elected to either court since the late 1990s.
FULL LIST: Texas general election results for Nov. 8, 2022
Read full article: FULL LIST: Texas general election results for Nov. 8, 2022Track statewide and local vote totals for Houston, Harris County, and the surrounding counties in the Nov. 8 midterm election through the dropdown menu and interactive maps in this article.
Election results for Texas Supreme Court, Criminal Appeals Court, and Greater Houston area judicial races on Nov. 8, 2022
Read full article: Election results for Texas Supreme Court, Criminal Appeals Court, and Greater Houston area judicial races on Nov. 8, 2022The 2022 General Election is being held on November 8. You can find results for Texas Supreme Court, Criminal Appeals Court, and Greater Houston area judicial races on Tuesday night here.
Texas Supreme Court weighs whether to dismiss abortion fundsโ defamation case against anti-abortion activist
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court weighs whether to dismiss abortion fundsโ defamation case against anti-abortion activistSeveral abortion funds have sued anti-abortion activist Mark Lee Dickson, who called them โcriminal organizations,โ for defamation.
Texasโ elected Supreme Court: What to know before voting for justices
Read full article: Texasโ elected Supreme Court: What to know before voting for justicesThe nine-member Texas Supreme Court has the power to make sweeping decisions that interpret the meaning of the stateโs constitution, impacting the lives of Texans across the state. Three seats are on the ballot this year.
Texas Supreme Court weighs whether to allow stateโs education agency to oust Houston school board
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court weighs whether to allow stateโs education agency to oust Houston school boardAmong other issues, the court will consider whether a law that updated the education code last year has any bearing on TEA Commissioner Mike Morathโs attempt to replace HISDโs board members over low academic scores.
Republican effort to remove Libertarians from November ballot rejected by Texas Supreme Court
Read full article: Republican effort to remove Libertarians from November ballot rejected by Texas Supreme CourtOn Aug. 8, a group of Republican candidates asked the Supreme Court to remove 23 Libertarian opponents from the ballot, saying they did not meet eligibility requirements. The Republicans included Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and others in congressional and state legislative races.
Volkswagen argues that Greg Abbottโs choice of judges in lawsuit could tilt emissions case in Texasโ favor
Read full article: Volkswagen argues that Greg Abbottโs choice of judges in lawsuit could tilt emissions case in Texasโ favorBecause the state is a party in Attorney General Ken Paxtonโs cases against the companies, Volkswagen lawyers have argued that allowing the Texas governor to appoint justices to a case for which the state stands to win a substantial amount of money would give โthe impression that the State has had undue influence.โ
DECISION 2022: Texas judicial primary election results, from the state Supreme Court to district judges
Read full article: DECISION 2022: Texas judicial primary election results, from the state Supreme Court to district judgesDECISION 2022: Texas judicial primary election results, from the state Supreme Court to district judges
Supreme Court wonโt speed challenge to Texas abortion limits
Read full article: Supreme Court wonโt speed challenge to Texas abortion limitsIn the latest setback for abortion rights in Texas, the Supreme Court has refused to speed up the ongoing court case over the stateโs ban on most abortions.
Texas abortion law challenge heads to stateโs supreme court, likely adding more delays to case
Read full article: Texas abortion law challenge heads to stateโs supreme court, likely adding more delays to caseThe 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appealsโ decision means it could take months before abortion providersโ challenge to the restrictive law returns to a federal court.
Evan Young, former clerk to conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, appointed to Texas Supreme Court
Read full article: Evan Young, former clerk to conservative U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, appointed to Texas Supreme CourtYoung replaces former Justice Eva Guzman, who resigned in June ahead of a campaign for attorney general.
Texas Supreme Court puts San Antonio school districtโs vaccine mandate on hold
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court puts San Antonio school districtโs vaccine mandate on holdThe halt comes after Gov. Greg Abbott expanded his ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates โ which previously applied to cities, counties and school districts โ to private employers.
Texas Supreme Court refuses to resume a Planned Parenthood lawsuit challenging new state abortion law
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court refuses to resume a Planned Parenthood lawsuit challenging new state abortion lawPlanned Parenthood had requested that the court reverse a decision to indefinitely pause the lawsuit, which was filed in Travis County district court.
Planned Parenthood asks Texas Supreme Court to allow more than a dozen cases against Texasโ abortion law to resume
Read full article: Planned Parenthood asks Texas Supreme Court to allow more than a dozen cases against Texasโ abortion law to resumeA panel of five judges indefinitely blocked the lawsuits last week upon the request of an anti-abortion group.
For third time in recent years, U.S. Supreme Court halts a Texas execution over rules for religious advisers in the death chamber
Read full article: For third time in recent years, U.S. Supreme Court halts a Texas execution over rules for religious advisers in the death chamberJohn Ramirez was scheduled to die Wednesday. His last request to the state had been to let his pastor hold on to him as he died, something the state denied. The high court wants to hear oral arguments on the matter later this year.
Texas Supreme Court pauses San Antonio mask mandate for public schools
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court pauses San Antonio mask mandate for public schoolsThe Texas Supreme Court temporarily blocked San Antonioโs mask mandate for public schools Thursday โ the latest in the tug-of-war legal battle between local governments and the stateโs Republican leadership over mandatory face coverings.
EXPLAINER: Texas mask battle looks to courts for resolution
Read full article: EXPLAINER: Texas mask battle looks to courts for resolutionThe legal battle over whether Texas communities can require students and others to wear masks in response to the current surge in COVID-19 cases remains entangled in a series of lawsuits, orders and appeals.
Live COVID-19 updates: Texasโ back-to-school season marked by mask mandate battles, rural districtsโ closures
Read full article: Live COVID-19 updates: Texasโ back-to-school season marked by mask mandate battles, rural districtsโ closuresCOVID-19 is surging again in Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott has tested positive. Hospitalizations are increasing faster than at any other time. Local officials and school leaders are rebelling against Abbottโs ban on mask mandates. Hereโs the latest.
Texas Supreme Court temporarily allows school mask mandates to remain
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court temporarily allows school mask mandates to remainTexas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Gov. Greg Abbott wanted the high court to disallow mask mandates in Texas school districts. Justices dismissed their request on a technicality, without issuing a ruling on their legal arguments.
Texas Supreme Court says House Democrats can be arrested and brought to the Capitol, siding with Republicans trying to secure a quorum
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court says House Democrats can be arrested and brought to the Capitol, siding with Republicans trying to secure a quorumIn a bid to block a voting restrictions bill, House Democrats for weeks have denied the lower chamber the number of present members needed to pass legislation. House Speaker Dade Phelan has already signed dozens of civil arrest warrants.
Houston-area counties waiting to see how Texas Supreme Court responds to mask mandates lawsuits
Read full article: Houston-area counties waiting to see how Texas Supreme Court responds to mask mandates lawsuitsGovernor Greg Abbott has the numbers on his side when it comes to the Texas Supreme Court and his executive order instituting mask mandates, according to KPRC 2 Legal Analyst Brian Wice,
Live COVID-19 updates: Texas sending more relief medical workers to hospitals, adding new antibody infusion centers
Read full article: Live COVID-19 updates: Texas sending more relief medical workers to hospitals, adding new antibody infusion centersCOVID-19 is surging again in Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott has tested positive. Hospitalizations are increasing faster than at any other time. Local officials and school leaders are rebelling against Abbottโs ban on mask mandates. Hereโs the latest.
Siding with Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas Supreme Court temporarily halts mask orders in Dallas and Bexar counties
Read full article: Siding with Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas Supreme Court temporarily halts mask orders in Dallas and Bexar countiesThe ruling comes after several school districts and a handful of counties across the state defied the governorโs executive order that restricted local entities from instituting mask mandates.
Texas law enforcement deputized to round up absent House Democrats, intensifying battle in the lower chamber
Read full article: Texas law enforcement deputized to round up absent House Democrats, intensifying battle in the lower chamberThe Texas Supreme Court cleared the way for absent House Democratsโ civil arrests after it temporarily blocked Harris County judgesโ orders protecting them from such a move.
Gov. Greg Abbott, House Speaker Dade Phelan, ask Texas Supreme Court to overturn ruling blocking arrest of Democrats
Read full article: Gov. Greg Abbott, House Speaker Dade Phelan, ask Texas Supreme Court to overturn ruling blocking arrest of DemocratsThe Democrats had left the state to block the passage of a Republican elections bill they say would restrict voting rights in the state.
GOP leaders say theyโve secured an extra month of funding for Texas Legislature to plug money vetoed by Gov. Greg Abbott
Read full article: GOP leaders say theyโve secured an extra month of funding for Texas Legislature to plug money vetoed by Gov. Greg AbbottFunds amounting to at least $12.6 million will be transferred from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to the Senate, the House, and legislative agencies such as the LBB, the Legislative Council and the Legislative Reference Library.
As federal eviction moratorium expires, tenants and rent advocates scramble to obtain state and local rental relief funds
Read full article: As federal eviction moratorium expires, tenants and rent advocates scramble to obtain state and local rental relief fundsIn the first phase of funding from the federal government for emergency rental assistance, Texas received about $2 billion. Now the state has to get those funds in the hands of Texans.
Texas Supreme Court may decide next plot twist in the Democratic walkout, and the fate of 2,100 state employees
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court may decide next plot twist in the Democratic walkout, and the fate of 2,100 state employeesThe stateโs highest civil court has been asked to decide if Gov. Greg Abbott has the power to cut off funding for legislative staff, a move Abbott hoped would keep Democratic lawmakers from leaving the state and shutting down a special legislative session.
Academy sports chain can't be sued for selling gun used in Texas' deadliest mass shooting, state Supreme Court says
Read full article: Academy sports chain can't be sued for selling gun used in Texas' deadliest mass shooting, state Supreme Court saysThe gunman should not have been able to purchase an assault style rifle, but the store conducted the required federal background check, which didn't reveal his past assault conviction, the court said.
Eva Guzman, former Texas Supreme Court justice, joins GOP primary challenge against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton
Read full article: Eva Guzman, former Texas Supreme Court justice, joins GOP primary challenge against Texas Attorney General Ken PaxtonGuzman's candidacy adds a new dynamic to the primary that is already unfolding between incumbent Paxton and Land Commissioner George P. Bush.
The Texas Senate has approved a new statewide appeals court. Critics contend it's another attempt to limit Democrats' power.
Read full article: The Texas Senate has approved a new statewide appeals court. Critics contend it's another attempt to limit Democrats' power.Despite federal moratorium, more Texas renters face eviction as state protection lapses
Read full article: Despite federal moratorium, more Texas renters face eviction as state protection lapsesTexans behind on their rent are at an increased risk of losing their homes despite a federal moratorium on evictions, according to housing attorneys, because a Texas Supreme Court order aimed at forestalling evictions has expired.
Texas courts cleared for in-person trials, and local officials will decide whether to require face masks
Read full article: Texas courts cleared for in-person trials, and local officials will decide whether to require face masksTexas courthouses no longer need a state safety review before conducting in-person hearings, including jury trials. AdIn the year of the pandemic, much of the state court system has been put on pause, creating a backlog of cases that will likely take years to overcome. In 2019, there was an average of 186 civil and criminal jury trials per week, according to the Texas Office of Court Administration. From March 2020 through this January, there were 222 jury trials total. But Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association President Grant Scheiner asked judges to remain vigilant in hopes of preventing another surge of coronavirus infections.
Despite committeeโs recommendation, ending Texasโ partisan judicial elections looks unlikely
Read full article: Despite committeeโs recommendation, ending Texasโ partisan judicial elections looks unlikelyThe Texas Supreme Court on Jan. 15, 2020. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneTexas looks unlikely to change its controversial partisan election system for judges โ even after a commission studying the issue recommended ending the practice. And in Republican primaries, judicial candidates with Hispanic-sounding surnames have often fared poorly, owing, experts say, to a largely white electorate. Those who favor partisan judicial elections have pointed out that they may work better in rural counties, where voters are electing fewer judges and itโs easier to learn their qualifications. Aside from the bias of partisanship, one of the chief concerns about the stateโs partisan judicial selection system is the influence โ perceived or actual โ of donors who bankroll judgesโ campaigns. Huffman, a powerful figure in the Texas Senate, said earlier this month she had already begun drafting a constitutional amendment that would increase judicial qualifications.
Texas extends rental assistance program designed to avoid evictions until March 15
Read full article: Texas extends rental assistance program designed to avoid evictions until March 15The Texas Supreme Court has extended its emergency eviction relief program for tenants behind on rent through at least March 15, lengthening the programโs expiration date by a month and a half. The move comes after Congress passed a stimulus bill Monday extending the federal moratorium on evictions through the end of January. The state created the Texas Eviction Diversion Program earlier this fall with the help of $171 million in CARES Act funding, the vast majority designated for rental assistance. But some housing advocates said the extension doesnโt go far enough to address the large number of struggling renters, even as the federal government extended its eviction moratorium. "There could be tens of thousands of evictions on the horizon in Texas later this winter,โ said Michael Depland, spokesperson for the advocacy group, Texas Housers.
Texas Supreme Court rules Alfred Dewayne Brown be compensated for his wrongful imprisonment
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court rules Alfred Dewayne Brown be compensated for his wrongful imprisonmentThe Texas Supreme Court on Jan. 15, 2020. Credit: Miguel Gutierrez Jr./The Texas TribuneSign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. More than five years after he was freed from Texasโ death row and nearly two years after prosecutors declared him innocent, the Texas Supreme Court ordered Friday that Alfred Dewayne Brown finally be compensated for his wrongful imprisonment. In 2015, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals tossed out Brownโs conviction and death sentence in the 2003 murder of a Houston police officer. But the Texas Comptroller, after receiving advice from the Texas Attorney General, denied Brownโs claim for the money. But Brownโs attorneys argued to the Texas Supreme Court, and the justices agreed, that the comptroller exceeded his authority by making such judicial determinations.
Thomas Reavley, oldest active federal judge, dies in Houston at 99
Read full article: Thomas Reavley, oldest active federal judge, dies in Houston at 99HOUSTON โ Thomas M. Reavley, the oldest active federal judge who served for 41 years on the 5th U.S. Reavley died on Tuesday in Houston, the Texas Supreme Court announced. He had served nine years on the Texas Supreme Court, the stateโs top civil court, before being appointed to the appeals court by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. โHe was a towering figure in Texas and a true champion of justice for the state and the country,โ said Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht. He married King in 2004 and the couple had said that before Florence Reavley died, she told them to get remarried.
Judge rejects GOP effort to throw out 127,000 Houston votes
Read full article: Judge rejects GOP effort to throw out 127,000 Houston votes(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)HOUSTON โ A federal judge on Monday rejected another last-ditch Republican effort to invalidate nearly 127,000 votes in Houston because the ballots were cast at drive-thru polling centers established during the pandemic. Another 20,000 or more voters had been expected to use drive-thru polling locations Tuesday, Hollins said earlier Monday. โI cannot in good faith encourage voters to cast their votes in tents if that puts their votes at risk,โ he said. Harris County offered 10 drive-thru locations as an option for its nearly 5 million residents amid worries of spreading the coronavirus. More than 40% of Harris County residents are Latino, and about one in five residents are Black.
Drive-thru voting locations to be limited to Toyota Center only in Harris County on Election Day
Read full article: Drive-thru voting locations to be limited to Toyota Center only in Harris County on Election DayHOUSTON โ A federal judge issued an order to uphold Harris County drive-thru voting but stated that the tents being used to house most drive-thru voting centers will not qualify as โbuildings,โ which are required for Election Day polling locations. Instead of 10 drive-thru locations, the Toyota Center will be the only drive-thru voting center available in Harris County on Election Day because of the new order. In order to allow for drive-thru voting on Election Day while ensuring that all votes will be counted, the only drive-thru voting center on Election Day will be at Toyota Center. Woodfill said he would immediately appeal the decision, accusing Harris County officials of using their office to help Democrats win Tuesday. Harris County had originally offered 10 drive-thru locations as an option for its nearly 5 million residents amid worries of spreading the coronavirus.
Texas Supreme Court rejects Republican-led effort to throw out nearly 127,000 Harris County votes
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court rejects Republican-led effort to throw out nearly 127,000 Harris County votesA rejection of the votes would constitute a monumental disenfranchisement of voters โ drive-thru ballots account for about 10% of all in-person ballots cast during early voting in Harris County. The clerkโs filing with the Supreme Court in the earlier lawsuit also said the Texas secretary of stateโs office had approved of drive-thru voting. Since the first Republican challenge to drive-thru voting was filed on Oct. 12, the Texas secretary of state and Gov. Greg Abbott had both ignored requests from reporters and Harris County officials to clarify their positions on whether the process was legal. The county clerkโs office countered that the first challenge to drive-thru voting had already been denied, and the second filing came much too late.
Texas Supreme Court rejects Republican-led effort to throw out nearly 127,000 Harris County votes
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court rejects Republican-led effort to throw out nearly 127,000 Harris County votesA rejection of the votes would constitute a monumental disenfranchisement of voters โ drive-thru ballots account for about 10% of all in-person ballots cast during early voting in Harris County. The clerkโs filing with the Supreme Court in the earlier lawsuit also said the Texas secretary of stateโs office had approved of drive-thru voting. Since the first Republican challenge to drive-thru voting was filed on Oct. 12, the Texas secretary of state and Gov. Greg Abbott had both ignored requests from reporters and Harris County officials to clarify their positions on whether the process was legal. The county clerk's office countered that the first challenge to drive-thru voting had already been denied, and the second filing came much too late.
Pointing to pandemic and election controversies, Democrats make their case for Texas Supreme Court
Read full article: Pointing to pandemic and election controversies, Democrats make their case for Texas Supreme CourtItโs notoriously difficult for judicial candidates, even those running for the stateโs high courts, to capture votersโ attention. Voters have the chance to choose four justices on the nine-member Texas Supreme Court, the stateโs highest court for civil matters, and three judges on its sister body, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. This year, though, the Texas Supreme Court has found itself in the spotlight far more than usual with major coronavirus-related decisions and an unusually long list of election-related cases. โOnce again, the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court steps into this election against the interests of voters and a functioning democracy,โ Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa said after the Harris County decision. The nationโs high court again overturned the Texas courtโs decision, and Moore has since been resentenced to life in prison and released on parole.
Texas Supreme Court allows drive-thru voting in Harris County to proceed
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court allows drive-thru voting in Harris County to proceedHOUSTON โ The Texas Supreme Court ruled Thursday that drive-thru voting can proceed in Harris County. The court denied a request by Republicans for an emergency motion aimed at stopping people from casting their ballots from their vehicles. Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins said in a statement posted on Twitter that he is happy with the result and he hopes this means that drive-thru voting will be available to Harris County voters in the future. The Court's decision to uphold the legality of Drive-Thru Voting as a safe and convenient way to vote underscores that this November, democracy is on the ballot. " (1/4) โ Harris County Clerk (@HarrisVotes) October 22, 2020This developing story will be updated.
Voters in Harris County may continue using drive-thru voting, Texas Supreme Court rules
Read full article: Voters in Harris County may continue using drive-thru voting, Texas Supreme Court rulesBy Wednesday, more than 73,000 people in Harris County had voted at drive-thru polling places, according to the clerkโs early voting totals. They claimed drive-thru voting is an expansion of curbside voting, and therefore should only be available for disabled voters. Such applications are required for mail-in ballots, but voting rights advocates and the Harris County Clerk said they have never been a part of curbside voting. The clerkโs filing to the Supreme Court also said the Texas secretary of stateโs Office had approved of drive-thru voting. The state Republican Party quickly moved to the Supreme Court, and a sister suit was filed by a litigious Houston conservative and the Harris County Republican Party.
Texas Supreme Court: Harris County cannot send mail ballot applications to all registered voters
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court: Harris County cannot send mail ballot applications to all registered votersHOUSTON โ The Texas Supreme Court on Wednesday reversed earlier decisions supporting Harris Countyโs plan to mail unsolicited mail-in ballot applications to all registered voters, most of whom do not qualify to vote by mail. On Aug. 25, Harris County Clerk Chris Hollins tweeted his plan to mail an application for a mail-in ballot to each of the countyโs more than 2 million registered voters. Two days later, the Texas Secretary of State threatened to sue Harris County if it did not โimmediately haltโ its plan. His office released a statement titled โTexas Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Voter Suppression" condemning the decision. Jones said whether or not Texas should allow anyone to vote by mail is a valid, but separate question.