Trial judge in Robert Roberson’s death row case agrees to recusal
Senior District Judge Deborah Oakes Evans recused herself after a challenge to her impartiality over longtime relationships with case prosecutors and judges. Full Story
The latest courts news from The Texas Tribune.
Senior District Judge Deborah Oakes Evans recused herself after a challenge to her impartiality over longtime relationships with case prosecutors and judges. Full Story
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had sued the Biden administration after Border Patrol agents had cut the razor wire. Full Story
The attorney general has agreed not to contest a lawsuit brought by former employees accusing him of retaliation after they said he abused his office. Full Story
The Texas Tribune, the Caldwell/Hays Examiner and Mano Amiga challenged the county’s policy of barring the press and public from bail hearings, saying it violated the First Amendment. Full Story
Roberson was convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter in a “shaken baby” case that many say led to an innocent man’s death sentence. Full Story
The state’s highest civil court ruled that legislators can’t use subpoenas to block death row inmates’ executions, but suggested there’s still time for Roberson to testify before a Texas House panel. Full Story
A Tyler-based federal judge ruled the administration overstepped its authority with the “Keeping Families Together” program. Texas and other states sued to halt it. Full Story
Republican judges won in 25 out of 26 contested races throughout the state in a show of the party’s broader strength up and down Tuesday’s ballot. Full Story
Randy Halprin was a member of a gang of prisoners known as the “Texas 7” who escaped from custody and killed an Irving police officer in 2000. Full Story
John Devine, Jane Bland and Jimmy Blacklock won their reelection bids over Democrat challengers backed by groups that support expanding abortion access. Full Story
Three new faces will join the bench, but the political balance of power will remain the same on the Court of Criminal Appeals. Full Story
After the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the federal government in the long-running water dispute, the states — which had finally worked out a water-sharing agreement — are back to the drawing board. Full Story
Three fairgoers are requesting up to $1 million in damages and to allow guns at the State Fair. Full Story
The AG also said he’d make a criminal referral against the lawmaker, who apologized for texting a Court of Criminal Appeals judge about a new trial for the death row inmate. Full Story
Members of a Texas House committee say in a Texas Supreme Court filing that Paxton’s office is blocking the death row inmate from complying with a legislative subpoena. Full Story
The lawsuit claims the endangered designation for six mussel species is a misuse of environmental law that threatens Texas’ economy. Full Story
A candidate running against the judge accused him of emailing his students at Texas State to vote for him. State law prohibits using public resources for political advertising. Full Story
Texas’ junk science statute has remained hamstrung for the last decade. So too have other criminal justice reforms, despite efforts from the Texas House. Full Story
Hazel Eileen Diaz received nearly $40,000 in cash and money transfers for letting human smugglers use her rental properties. Full Story
Despite objections from her family, John Devine oversees the trust of Elvie Kingston, a clear violation of Texas’ judicial ethics rules, experts said. His wife is also her legal guardian. Full Story