The Texas Supreme Court will consider the constitutionality of a $5 tax on admission to the state’s strip clubs — a measure lawmakers implemented in 2007 to raise money for sexual assault prevention and low-income health insurance.
Texas Supreme Court
Posted in
Criminal Justice
The Trials of Felipe Reyna
Two former Texas Supreme Court justices and a Goliath of state judicial politics are trying to oust the 10th Court of Appeals judge from the courthouse that he once cleaned as a janitor.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Thevenot on the abysmally low community college graduation rate and higher ed’s coming budgetary winter. Ramshaw on Terri Hodge’s guilty plea and hasty exit. Grissom on the Department of Public Safety’s use of dreaded federal stimulus funds to plug a hole in the state’s border security budget. Hu on the first of the intraparty face-offs in our Primary Color series. Ramsey and Stiles on the congressional candidates with the most money on hand. Ramsey on whether Farouk Shami’s accent and name are an obstacle to his election. Aguilar on the fever-tick epidemic overwhelming South Texas. Rapoport on TxDOT’s hard road and the State Board of Education’s lack of finance expertise. Philpott on how Barack Obama’s budget will impact Texas. M. Smith on whether lawyers giving to judges is a good thing. Hamilton on the latest transportation innovations on the drawing board. The best of our best from February 1 to 5, 2010.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Odor in the Court
Even if 84 percent of Americans believe judges should not hear cases from major campaign contributors, the big Texas law firms that have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to them over the last ten years see nothing wrong with business as usual.
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Criminal Justice
Time’s Up
The political window is about to close: Today’s the last day to become a candidate in the 2010 state elections. What we know so far is that the ballot will have a fireworks show at the top, with contested and well-financed gubernatorial primaries on both sides. A couple of statewide Democratic races will be competitive, but with incumbents seeking reelection on the Republican side, there’s little action there.
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Criminal Justice
Legal Lottery
Can Texas lottery winners sell all of their payments to private finance companies? State attorneys say no. A state appeals court says yes. The Texas Supreme Court will decide.
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Criminal Justice
TribBlog: What Fredo Learned
Alberto Gonzales — remember him? — in Esquire.
Posted inState Government
Wallace Jefferson on Why We Shouldn’t Elect Judges
The Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court on the trouble with asking voters — and donors — to decide who sits on the bench.
Posted inState Government
Wallace Jefferson on That Exxon Case
The Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court on the not-quite-settled case that has everyone talking: Exxon v. Emerald, or, as you might prefer to think of it (we do), the biggest oil and gas company on earth vs. one of the state’s most mythic ranching families.
Posted inState Government
On Being a Black Republican
Wallace Jefferson, the chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, on what race has to do with politics, why he’s a member of his party, and whether the GOP has been sufficiently hospitable to African Americans.
