courts

Nationalist Group Wants Texas Secession on GOP Primary Ballot

By Luqman Adeniyi Sept. 15, 2015

Texas already seceded once — in 1861. But the Texas Nationalist Movement wants a repeat a century and a half later, and thinks the March GOP primary is the place to start. Full Story

Credit: JD Lamb
Scrutiny Follows Bland, Deputy Deaths

By Johnathan Silver Sept. 14, 2015

In the coming days, the deaths of Sandra Bland and Harris County Deputy Darren Goforth will continue to jolt statewide conversations about how the Texas criminal justice system deals with — or fails to deal with — mental health issues. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Emily Albracht
New Crime Lab Protocol Leads to Reviews of "Mixed DNA" Evidence

By Terri Langford Sept. 12, 2015

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. Full Story

Credit: Rodolfo Clix
Revisit our Paid to Prosecute Project

By Jay Root and Jolie McCullough, The Texas Tribune, and Tony Plohetski, Austin American-Statesman Sept. 12, 2015

Revisit our Paid to Prosecute project, a six-month Texas Tribune/Austin American-Statesman investigation that revealed a chummy and unusual financial arrangement between Texas Mutual Insurance and the Travis County DA's office. Full Story

Credit: Rafael Aguilera, Austin American-Statesman
Decades After Reforms, Exclusive Deal Lingers

By Jay Root and Jolie McCullough, The Texas Tribune, and Tony Plohetski, Austin American-Statesman Sept. 11, 2015

An exclusive funding deal between Texas Mutual and the Travis County DA was forged amid crisis, one that has long-since passed. While the company used to be subject to government audits and transparency laws, lobbyists have worked to lift such rules. Full Story

Credit: Rafael Aguilera, Austin American-Statesman
Cubans Flood Texas Ports After Thaw in Relations

By Julián Aguilar Sept. 10, 2015

If current trends hold, the port of Laredo is on pace to welcome about 60 percent more Cubans than it did last fiscal year. Why the exodus when the island-nation is on the verge of reestablishing ties with the U.S.? Full Story

Credit: Spencer Selvidge
Chief Fraud Lawyer Has an Independent Streak — and a Public Personality

By Jay Root and Jolie McCullough, The Texas Tribune, and Tony Plohetski, Austin American-Statesman Sept. 10, 2015

From almost the very beginning, the controversial relationship between a giant Texas insurance company and the Travis County DA's office has been overseen by a fiery prosecutor with a tendency to share her liberal politics and social views on social media. Full Story

Credit: Justin Dehn, The Texas Tribune
Private Insurer Pays Government Lawyers to Pursue Fraud Charges

By Jay Root and Jolie McCullough, The Texas Tribune, and Tony Plohetski, Austin American-Statesman Sept. 9, 2015

A six-month Texas Tribune/Austin American-Statesman investigation into a chummy and unusual financial arrangement between Texas Mutual Insurance and the Travis County DA's office reveals a series of troubling issues. Full Story

Credit: Rafael Aguilera, Austin American-Statesman
Detainees Face Challenges Despite Judge's Ruling

By Julián Aguilar Sept. 8, 2015

After a federal judge ruled that most women and children being held in Texas immigration detention centers should be released, attorneys say they are making some progress on their clients' cases. But they argue the government is making their work harder because it hasn't established a clear set of rules. Full Story

Credit: KUT News
Video: Adler and Taylor on Public Safety

By Evan Smith Sept. 4, 2015

At our 9/4 conversation, Austin Mayor Steve Adler and San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor talked about the expected impact of open carry on their cities and the importance of their police officers wearing body cameras. Full Story
Troopers Ticketing Fewer Overall, More Hispanics

By Alexa Ura and Terri Langford Sept. 4, 2015

State troopers are writing far fewer traffic tickets now than five years ago, but an increasing share of them are being issued to Hispanic drivers, a Tribune analysis of state data shows. The Texas Department of Public Safety says it can't explain why that's happening. Full Story

Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Judge Will Hear Birth Certificate Case Next Month

By Julián Aguilar Sept. 3, 2015

A coalition of undocumented immigrants whose U.S. citizen children have been denied birth certificates in Texas will have its case heard in federal court early next month. Full Story
Texas Abortion Providers Ask Supreme Court to Review Restrictions

By Alexa Ura Sept. 2, 2015

Texas abortion providers on Wednesday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up their legal challenge to two provisions of the state's strict abortion law. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Dallas Police Department Rolls Out First Batch Of Body Cameras

By Kat Chow, KERA News Sept. 2, 2015

The Dallas Police Department has rolled out the first wave of 1,000 body cameras. The move comes after months of controversy about deaths involving police across the country. Full Story

Credit: Dallas Police Department
"Cops' Lives Matter," Says Sheriff After Houston Killing

By Edgar Walters Aug. 29, 2015

Following the killing of a Harris County sheriff’s deputy late Friday night, a local law enforcement leader said the “rhetoric” of anti-police brutality protestors had ramped up “to the point where calculated, cold-blooded assassination of police officers happens.” Full Story

Credit: Harris County Sheriff's Office
Texas Asks Full Appeals Court to Hear Voter ID Case

By Jim Malewitz Aug. 29, 2015

Continuing to protect a voter identification law that courts say discriminates, Attorney General Ken Paxton has asked a full federal appeals court to reconsider his arguments about why Texas’ requirements at the polls do not violate the Voting Rights Act. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
State Bungled Earlier Complaints About Group Home

By Terri Langford Aug. 28, 2015

State investigators failed to respond to prior complaints about an illegal assisted living facility in Austin shut down by Attorney General Ken Paxton on Friday, and one of Paxton's employees is under investigation concerning powers of attorney related to the case. Full Story

Credit: Hamid Najafi
Third Prosecutor Added to Ken Paxton Case

By Patrick Svitek Aug. 28, 2015

Former Harris County prosecutor Nicole DeBorde has joined the team pursuing three felony charges against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton related to securities fraud. Full Story

Credit: Paul Moseley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
New Chapter Set to Begin for E-Verify Policy

By Julián Aguilar Aug. 27, 2015

On Sept. 1, all potential hires for any state agency or public university must have their work eligibility information run through E-Verify. If that sounds familiar, there’s a good reason. This story is part of our 31 Days, 31 Ways series. Full Story

Credit: Todd Wiseman
Bush Leads Push for Endangered Species Reform

By Ally Mutnick Aug. 26, 2015

Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush is leading an alliance of 23 state land commissioners calling for more transparency on how animals are added to the endangered list under the Endangered Species Act. Full Story

Credit: Bob Daemmrich