Although the Court of Criminal Appeals is the highest criminal court in the state — and it deals with a number of hot-button issues including the death penalty — its nine judges don’t attract much attention. That can make campaigning for a seat on the court difficult.
Judiciary of Texas
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Commission Will Address Texas “Justice Gap”
A large number of Texans — mostly middle class — fall into a “justice gap” where they aren’t poor enough to receive free legal aid provided to indigents but can’t afford basic legal services on their own.
Posted in
Politics
Analysis: A Judicious Swipe at Pensions for State Lawmakers
Between now and the next legislative session, Texas lawmakers will be tinkering with an obscure formula that links their own state pensions to the salaries of state judges.
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Health care
State Supreme Court Will Review Tax on “Small Tobacco”
The Texas Supreme Court agreed Friday morning to review a state tax on small cigarette manufacturers, known collectively as “Small Tobacco.”
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Criminal Justice
Court of Criminal Appeals: Flag Desecration Ban Violates Constitution
The state’s highest criminal court ruled Wednesday that a Texas law banning defacement of the U.S.and state flags is unconstitutional.
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Criminal Justice
Tarrant County Defends Right to Charge Poor Petitioners
The Texas Supreme Court scrutinized the legality of court costs imposed on indigent plaintiffs — in this case, fees the Tarrant County clerk’s office charged six poor plaintiffs pursuing divorces — during oral arguments on Wednesday.
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Criminal Justice
Indigent Court Fee Case Goes Before Supreme Court
When and how local clerks can make poor plaintiffs pay court fees to get divorced will be argued before the Texas Supreme Court Wednesday, with both sides hoping the justices provide clarity on the contentious issue.
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Criminal Justice
Lawyers, Scientists Try to Unravel Thorny New DNA Standard
About 50 attorneys, prosecutors, defense attorneys and lab technicians on Friday discussed how past and future cases could be affected by a new standard in analyzing data involving “mixed DNA” evidence.
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Criminal Justice
New Crime Lab Protocol Leads to Reviews of “Mixed DNA” Evidence
A new standard, used by crime labs in Texas and nationwide when analyzing multiple sets of DNA taken from evidence, has prompted questions and a review of court cases dating back to 1999.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Judge Ordered Houston Children Out of Foster Care in 2013
Nearly two years before the murder of six Houston siblings, a state district judge denied a request by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to keep them in foster care, according to a memo sent to members of the Legislature on Tuesday.