The latest courts news from The Texas Tribune.
Texas lawmakers may be leading the charge to derail President Obama’s executive action on immigration. But the White House wants it known: Not everyone in the Lone Star State wants to scrap the policy. Full Story
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The head of the state's public integrity unit told Senate lawmakers on Monday that Gov. Rick Perry’s veto of its funding in 2013 forced the division — which investigates public corruption — to lay off staff and give up cases. Full Story
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Just before leaving office, Rick Perry ordered state agencies to start using E-Verify, the federal employment verification system, to make sure job applicants can legally work. But some lawmakers say that mandate isn't enough. Full Story
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In the Roundup: Rick Perry comments on the rejection of his bid to dismiss criminal charges, there was a moment of uncertainty surrounding open carry legislation in the Senate, and Texas Muslim Capitol Day draws loud protests. Full Story
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Allowing concealed weapons to be carried on college and university campuses would create "less safe" environments, University of Texas System Chancellor William McRaven wrote in a letter to legislative leaders on Thursday. Full Story
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Juveniles in Texas who break the law are less likely to reoffend if they’re placed in community supervision programs instead of state facilities, according to a report released Thursday by criminal justice researchers. Full Story
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New Attorney General Ken Paxton, who was found in 2014 to have violated the Texas Securities Act, will not be prosecuted by the state's office that investigates public corruption, officials said Thursday. Full Story
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At a news conference this morning in downtown Austin, Rick Perry addressed a judge's decision not to dismiss indictments against him. The former governor's legal team has appealed the ruling. Full Story
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Former Gov. Rick Perry defended his actions related to a controversial 2013 veto Wednesday, a day after a judge ruled that a criminal case related to the veto could proceed against him. Full Story
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At our 1/27 conversation, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick talked about why open carry legislation isn't necessarily going to pass in the 84th session. Full Story
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The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is facing a scathing report and several lawsuits contending that correctional staff at a Huntsville prison regularly neglect, abuse and even violently beat prisoners with disabilities. Full Story
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After Jack Stick joined the Health and Human Services Commission's Office of Inspector General, he incorporated sales quota-like performance standards for investigators. The effort got results, but reviews have been mixed and the initiative is being shut down. Full Story
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A New Mexico man convicted for a drug-fueled triple murder in San Antonio in 1993 was executed on Wednesday, the first Texas inmate to be put to death under Gov. Greg Abbott. Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, is pushing new border security legislation that would make it easier for Border Patrol agents to operate on protected lands, and fund continued National Guard presence. Full Story
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The Court of Criminal Appeals has suspended a criminal defense lawyer, arguing that he filed motions to stop executions too late. The move is part of a ongoing feud in Texas between such lawyers and judges who rule on their claims. Full Story
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UPDATED: A judge heard arguments Thursday on a request to halt a White House immigration policy that could affect hundreds of thousands of Texans living in the country illegally. The judge did not indicate when he would make a ruling. Full Story
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At our 1/14 conversation, new state Reps. Celia Israel, D-Austin, Linda Koop, R-Dallas, and Matt Rinaldi, R-Irving, talked about border security, in-state tuition and other immigration-related topics. Full Story
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At our 1/12 conversation, state Sens. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, and Kirk Watson, D-Austin — the chairs of the Senate Republican and Democratic caucuses — talked about proposed gun legislation in the 84th session. Full Story
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Instead of trusting human smugglers or risking clandestine border crossings, an increasing number of people trying to enter the U.S. illegally are taking a more brazen approach. They try to slip through legal entry points using fake papers, or documents that belong to someone else. Full Story
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For this week's playlist of the news, we’re using our reporters' own predictions for 2015. Kicking things off: “The Best Is Yet To Come,” by Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra, backed up by the Count Basie Orchestra. Full Story
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