The latest Judiciary of Texas news from The Texas Tribune.
Republicans from Gov. Greg Abbott on down are pressuring the all-GOP Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to reverse a December ruling that gutted the attorney general’s power to go after election cases on his own. Full Story
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Even as Gov. Greg Abbott is loosening his pandemic restrictions on people and businesses, he is buckling to opponents who protest that he's moving too slowly. He's undermining his own authority — and enforcement of the rest of his rules. Full Story
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The governor and other top Texas officials love promoting the rule of law, but they also love good politics. The civil disobedience of a Dallas beautician forced them to choose a favorite — and maybe hurry changes in pandemic policy. Full Story
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A well-heeled loser of a lawsuit that went to the Texas Supreme Court did a detailed analysis and concluded that the big law firms that politically support the judges get the best results. Maybe money is the reason, maybe it's not. Full Story
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Jerry Zimmerer, an appellate judge in Houston, said his campaign differs from Amy Clark Meachum's because “I actually want the best candidate to win.” Full Story
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Even the Texas lawmakers who want to change the way the state selects judges are wary of taking that power away from voters. The politics are more difficult, in some ways, than the proposed policy changes. Full Story
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A new commission had barely begun to study Texas' partisan judicial election system when the leader of the Texas Senate signaled skepticism of reform. Full Story
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After an election that swept scores of Republican judges out of office, Gov. Greg Abbott is eyeing judicial selection reform. Advocates hope that the perennial issue may finally draw some attention. Full Story
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A federal judge has ruled for Texas in a long-running challenge to the state's system of electing judges to its two highest courts. Full Story
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The Senate Judiciary Committee’s top Republican said Wednesday that two of President Trump’s nominees for open seats on the federal bench will not be confirmed. One of them, Jeff Mateer, was nominated to serve as a federal judge in the Eastern District of Texas. Full Story
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In the president's appointment of two Texans to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, conservatives are seeing the fruits of a bargain made in the 2016 elections: Donald Trump might not be their favorite, but they're getting judges they want. Full Story
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Jeff Mateer, one of President Donald Trump's latest judicial nominees and a high-ranking official in Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office, said transgender children are part of "Satan's plan" in a May 2015 speech, CNN reported. Full Story
Texas police officers and other first responders who have job-related mental health issues can soon be diverted into pretrial treatment programs if they commit a crime, but many large counties don't appear interested in creating the new specialty courts. Full Story
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The Trump administration has begun to appoint U.S. attorneys and federal judges. But so far those efforts have not reached Texas. Full Story
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In Texas, the tiny number of successful prosecutions leave both victims and lawmakers questioning state’s commitment to punishing hate. Full Story
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The Judge Julie Kocurek Judicial and Courthouse Security Act of 2017 passed the chamber Tuesday. Full Story
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In his State of the Judiciary address Wednesday, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht discussed bail reform, the cost of legal expenses, mental health issues and a host of other topics. Full Story
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Two days before death row inmate John Ramirez was scheduled to be executed, a federal district court in Corpus Christi halted the execution. Full Story
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U.S. District Court Judge Sam Sparks ruled Texas cannot require health providers to bury or cremate fetuses, delivering another blow to state leaders in the reproductive rights debate. Full Story
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After three days of testimony from attorneys for the state and Planned Parenthood, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks is letting the reproductive health provider stay in Medicaid until Feb. 21. Full Story
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