The latest courts news from The Texas Tribune.
UPDATED: Lawmakers are unlikely to abolish the Driver Responsibility Program next year, but at a hearing Monday, they encouraged critics of it to submit recommendations for reform. Full Story
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A judge has denied an injunction a Plano homeowners association sought to stop orthodox Jews from walking through the neighborhood to attend in-home religious ceremonies. Full Story
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Many residents of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, have reacted with silence to the death of a former mayor, who was allegedly kidnapped. It’s yet another signal that while violence has ebbed in the city, a climate of fear still exists. Full Story
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The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services approved a set of new regulations Friday that are meant to provide more protection for foster children. Full Story
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To the extent that Wednesday's Fort Hood shooting prompts a renewed discussion of guns in Texas, discussion will almost certainly be dominated by talk of increasing access to guns, not curtailing it. Full Story
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A special prosecutor, who is investigating whether Gov. Rick Perry abused his authority when he eliminated state funding of the Texas public integrity unit, told the Austin American-Statesman and KVUE that what he’s found so far is “concerning.” Full Story
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UPDATED: Tommy Lynn Sells was executed Thursday evening, the Associated Press reported, after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up his case challenging the state's denial of information about the drugs to be used in his execution. Full Story
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UPDATED: The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has voted not to recommend a posthumous full pardon for Cameron Todd Willingham, who was executed a decade ago after being convicted of setting a fire that killed his daughters. Full Story
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The population in Texas prisons dropped from 2005 to 2013, but statistics from the corrections agency show that officers are using “major” force against inmates more often. Full Story
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Gov. Rick Perry told federal officials he would not sign a form complying with regulations meant to prevent prison rape and assault. Prison reform advocates worry the decision could have financial and legal consequences. Full Story
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For the first time on the border, the National Guard is teaming up with the Border Patrol in Laredo to help rid the city of dwellings that were once havens for drugs and smuggling. Full Story
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Amid national debate over disclosure of information about execution drugs, Texas Department of Criminal Justice officials said they will appeal a judge’s order to reveal the supplier of its execution drugs. Full Story
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U.S. Rep. Beto O'Rourke has filed a bill that would establish increased oversight committee for Border Patrol agents when it comes to use of force, training and community engagement. Full Story
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Amid debate over whether plastic bag bans violate the state's health and safety laws, Dallas on Wednesday became the largest city in Texas to pass an ordinance restricting use of the bags. Full Story
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The number of youths detained for minor infractions has fallen nationally and in Texas, but thousands of youths remain in detention for misbehaviors like violating curfew, according to a report released this week. Full Story
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The CEO of the Borderplex Alliance on what El Paso needs to do to shed its reputation as a hub for low-skilled and low-wage industries, why he thinks the war in Ciudad Juárez is officially over and his thoughts on immigration reform. Full Story
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UPDATED: The board of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department on Wednesday announced the selection of an interim executive director to succeed Mike Griffiths, who announced his resignation last month. Full Story
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The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals will hear arguments Wednesday in a case that could determine how courts across the state apply a new law that allows courts to consider changing scientific evidence. Full Story
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Some Texas-based advocacy groups say the release of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s use-of-force policy for Border Patrol agents is a positive step for transparency. But they add that more could be done. Full Story
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A letter from a state lawmaker asks the attorney general's office to give an opinion on whether Texas cities' bans on plastic bags are in compliance with the state’s health and safety laws. Full Story
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