The latest courts news from The Texas Tribune.
The judge gave the Biden administration 14 days to appeal his ruling on the policy, which federal officials credit for reducing migrant arrests at the border to the lowest number since Biden took office. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2f90ad38b16138e4de081247bb784457/0511%20Title%2042%20End%20IPA%20TT%2013.JPG)
The women, believed to be the first to testify about an abortion ban’s impact on their pregnancy since 1973, are seeking to clarify when a medical emergency justifies an abortion. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/cf1302dd1beedc34559d11c5088b45d2/0719%20Abortion%20Hearing%20Presser%20JT%2004%20TT.jpg)
The professors said the ban immediately halted research projects into TikTok and derailed their plans to lead classes discussing the social media app’s benefits and risks. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/2880d343155eeab96942b58d975de2da/TikTok%20HQ%20REUTERS.jpg)
The families argue the new law, which goes into effect Sept. 1, violates their parental rights by stopping them from providing medical care for their children and discriminates against transgender teens. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/db1f4d9c6b6987204c1ec63f127e4208/0512%20SB%2014%20House%20Friday%20EL%20TT%2007.jpg)
McLennan County Justice of the Peace Dianne Hensley filed a lawsuit after a state agency warned her about refusing to marry gay couples. She hopes a recent U.S. Supreme Court case about religious freedom helps her cause. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/a2b0ba542b3a7dd492ae11f96fe5ab48/SCOTUS%20Pride%20REUTERS.jpg)
Higher education experts say universities can implement other strategies like targeted recruitment in underserved communities, eliminating legacy admissions and getting rid of test requirements. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/dcc7c82c8c40e523f517036dc0a293a5/Rice%20U%20AM%20TT%20109.jpg)
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a federal judge’s previous injunction that barred the college from charging out-of-state American citizens more than undocumented immigrants living in the state. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b120fb35e44181fe5014f9e18d953f9a/0224%20UNT%20Campus%20ST%20TT%2002.jpg)
Patrick Crusius pleaded guilty and was sentenced Friday in federal court. He still faces state charges, and the local district attorney says he intends to seek the death penalty. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/0be6dc83019a06a1eaf05877ebb3fdfd/Court%20Room%20Sketch%20Overview%20Day%203.jpg)
Overlooked in the churn of one of the country’s busiest courthouses, the forgotten appeals included two death penalty cases, and one from a man who’s already finished his 20-year sentence. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5e9c459c0f9cee4597aaed38b9cbabac/Harris%20County%20Jail%20CR%20TT%2001.jpg)
During the gunman’s sentencing, relatives of those killed nearly four years ago are telling him how he upended their lives. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9292d52726a62f19fa2f83b0c7cd29d7/Javier%20Francisco%20Rodriguez%20TT%20NG.jpg)
House Bill 2127 — dubbed the “Death Star” law by opponents — prevents local governments from creating rules that go further than what’s allowed under broad areas of state law. Houston’s suit says the new law violates the state’s constitution. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/413c037abf4deb74925c7e6aa84fdb55/Houston%20Skyline%20CR%20TT%2001.jpg)
In this week’s two-topic TribCast, we discuss the U.S. Supreme Court blocking the consideration of race in college admissions and the dangerous heat inside Texas prisons this summer. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/bae985d06feef59ada7dc78d339765fb/0630%20Tribcast%203%20Affirmative%20Action.jpg)
The court ruled in favor of the six GOP-led states that alleged President Joe Biden overstepped his authority with his loan forgiveness plan. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/5210b9eca80a36b4677ea26f198587a6/0530%20UT%20Campus%20File%20LS%2010.jpg)
The state police agency had been withholding nearly all of its records on law enforcement’s botched response to Texas’ deadliest school shooting. DPS will have an opportunity to redact the files before they are released. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/b55637ccf6cba37a149f41300914a8cb/Uvalde%20Victims%20March%20EL%20TT%2003.jpg)
Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled the practice unconstitutional, admissions experts say other states could look to Texas’ Top 10% Plan as a way to diversify their student bodies. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/f9a10b7344c98d5a47da0ce9578d8c3c/UT%20Austin%20Texas%20Flag%20EG%20TT%2002.jpg)
No other public universities use race as a factor, but Texas private schools like Rice and Southern Methodist University will be impacted. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/da69e5630c4dc7fc12884dd6580e8256/0530%20UT%20Campus%20File%20LS%20TT%2018.jpg)
Legislators also passed bills that will provide foster kids entering the troubled system with duffel bags or backpacks and those aging out of the system with help setting up bank accounts. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/c8cd7329a48e04b0fee2bc0f4cfcbe5a/0512%20SB%2014%20House%20Friday%20EL%20TT%2047.jpg)
A year after the nation’s deadliest human smuggling event, federal prosecutors say seven people face a maximum of life in prison. One of the suspects, who was not identified, has not been arrested. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/3f30727dbda25da278dd71e6e10619a7/Migrant%20Truck%20Memorial%20SF%20TT%2008.jpg)
A U.S. district judge has long presided over a court case that found Texas’ foster care system unconstitutionally harms kids. Tuesday’s hearing was the first appearance by the state’s new team of defense attorneys. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/771e7155c626295dd72a18803fd13375/0411%20Corpus%20Christi%20Courthouse%20BY%20TT%2015.jpg)
The U.S. Supreme Court paved the way for major civil rights victories for queer Americans in the 2003 decision that decriminalized homosexuality. But progress for LGBTQ+ people has been uneven. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/4105194b4edfd65183437d1d006435d9/Lawrence%20v%20TX%20REUTERS%20TT%2001.jpg)