In a year when four justices face reelection, the all-Republican high court has made a slate of controversy-generating decisions, including lifting a moratorium on evictions and — for now — limiting voting by mail in this year’s elections.
Texas Supreme Court
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas Supreme Court sides with Abbott after judge halted his order restricting jail release
The high court did not weigh in on the arguments that Gov. Greg Abbott’s order went beyond his executive powers in a disaster. Instead, it ruled that the Harris County judges were the wrong plaintiffs.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Coronavirus put her out of work, then debt collectors froze her savings account
Kim Boatswain’s tax refund could have helped her get through the coronavirus slowdown. But debt collectors seized it. There are few options for Texans like Boatswain whose money was taken just before the state temporarily banned such garnishments.
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Coronavirus in Texas
Texas Supreme Court stays lower court ruling, temporarily reviving Gov. Abbott’s order restricting jail release
On Friday, a state district judge blocked enforcement of Abbott’s order, which prohibits jail release for some inmates without paying bail during the coronavirus pandemic. She cited unconstitutional provisions and executive overreach as reasons for her order.
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Politics
Democratic male judges may be headed for extinction in Texas. The cause? Voters
Women got more votes than men in all of the roughly 30 gender-split primary contests for high court, court of appeals and district court. Rarely was it even close.
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State Government
Analysis: The Texas Supreme Court and the ruling class
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.
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State Government
Speaking statistically, this GOP donor wants to convince you that money buys justice in Texas
After losing a case at the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court, millionaire Salem Abraham set out to mathematically test the idea that campaign contributions influence the elected justices. Now he wants to change the system.
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Politics
In Democrats’ low-information judicial primaries, gender and ballot names may drive voters’ decisions
Fourteen Democrats are competing for seven seats on the Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals. How do you win when no one knows your name?
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Politics
Judge calls opponent “selfish” for wanting to “break barriers” as first elected female chief justice of Texas Supreme Court
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.”
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Politics
Appointees claim Gov. Greg Abbott ousted them from board for voting to sanction judge who refused to perform same-sex marriages
After those two appointees left the commission, it handed down just a warning to the judge, Dianne Hensley.
