The latest courts news from The Texas Tribune.
Following a ruling last month that Texas was violating a law designed to ease the voter registration process, a federal judge ordered the state to submit a plan to fix it. Texas' response offered few specifics. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2018/03/08/Voting_Day_2_BD_TT.jpg)
The administrative law judges who oversee disputes involving state agencies typically don't attract much attention, but the forced departure of a judge has critics questioning whether the agency's independence is at risk — and calling on the governor to replace her. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/133eb94dabef871ff01c4f6f516651cf/Lesli_Ginn_TT.jpg)
A Texas death row inmate was executed Wednesday — his fourth execution date in a year. Though advocates and his attorneys insisted on Juan Castillo's innocence, he lost all his fights in court and was put to death for a 2003 San Antonio murder. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/40815eca8295ffbd2756980acf8bf119/JUAN_CASTILLO_TDCJ_TT.jpg)
A federal judge ruled Tuesday that the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund can represent a group of young undocumented immigrants in opposing a lawsuit aimed at ending an Obama-era immigration program shielding people like them from deportation. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/09/07/DACA_protest.jpg)
The Texas Attorney General's Office says Purdue Pharma fueled "the nation's opioid epidemic by deceptively marketing prescription painkillers," including OxyContin. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2018/03/12/OxyContin_REUTERS_TT.jpg)
Gov. Greg Abbott and other state leaders have shown resistance to expanding gambling in the state in recent years. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9841b1bb2e18dc328d935ae31d717111/US_Airways_Center_2008_NCAA_TT.jpg)
Texas is one of just a handful of states that doesn't offer online voter registration. Advocates are hoping a recent ruling from a federal judge could change that. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/9af90b409b0c866915c660f3d788618a/.dontusevoting)
Civil rights advocates hope that the ruling by U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia could force Texas to adopt a version of online voter registration. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/06/27/EARLYVOTING3444.jpg)
The Texas Rangers have been investigating Karolyi Ranch since January, but lawyers for survivors say action from the state attorney general is needed as well. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/d66ad98b9064137b408cda6e3546eac4/gymnast_presser_KAROLYI_MKC_TT.jpg)
Paul Storey's case had been granted another review less than one week before he was scheduled to be executed. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/03/27/TT-PaulStorey.png)
“I never dreamt we’d get the Pack Unit air-conditioned,” the federal judge said at a Houston hearing. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/07/19/PrisonFan.jpg)
Two years ago, Texas won a case blocking an immigration policy just one letter different from DACA. As it challenges the narrower, more popular program, Texas has come armed with the same legal arguments that succeeded last time around. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/06/23/IMG_1838-Edit.jpg)
Texas charter schools are sometimes private and sometimes governmental — a legal framework that has helped them avoid costly lawsuits. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2017/02/09/Classroom-Desks-Stock.png)
Jason Shoumaker, the law school's former facilities director, was arrested Thursday. The alleged fraud could involve "several million dollars of questionable expenses," a source familiar with the probe said. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/11c1d41538112a4636c7c911857f14cf/UT_Law_School_2_LS_TT.jpg)
A nurse from Katy is suing Customs and Border Protection after the agency took the cash from her last October and never charged her with a crime. Advocates say the case shows just how abusive the practice of civil asset forfeiture can be. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/8cf9dfa021d159acca8b305dafe19036/Toni_Nwaorie_MS_TT.jpg)
Farenthold resigned in April, months after it came to light that he settled a sexual harassment claim from a former staff member with $84,000 in taxpayer money. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/73a25bf1eb118e121d6b2af401a0dea7/Abbot_Farenthold_MKC_BD_TT.jpg)
Nearly three years after his release from prison, Alfred Dewayne Brown is still trying to get state compensation for his years spent on Texas' death row. On Wednesday, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced an independent review of Brown's innocence claim. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/05/10/BrownReleased.1.jpg)
Four congressional Democrats objected to the pamphlet this week, saying it includes "blatant lies about the safety of abortion." Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/07/26/WRTK-LeadArt.jpg)
State Rep. René Oliveira, D-Brownsville, has been arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, according to authorities. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/files/65fabb2d4dca98fbb82bea58a0e1c37c/Rene_Oliveira_mug_TT.jpg)
The state's highest civil court said uninsured patients suing hospitals can access records detailing how much insurance companies paid for similar procedures. Full Story
/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/03/01/TexasSupremeCourtBuildingTT.jpg)