The latest courts news from The Texas Tribune.
Same-sex couples are entitled to the same treatment as opposite-sex couples, a lawyer for the city of Houston argued before the Texas Supreme Court on Wednesday in a case challenging the city's benefits policy for married same-sex couples. Full Story
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The director of the Texas Department of Public Safety told lawmakers on Tuesday the agency can't predict when it will be able to scale back its border security operations in the Rio Grande Valley. Full Story
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Same-sex marriage has been legal for almost two years, but opponents are looking to fight a U.S. Supreme Court ruling through a lawsuit challenging Houston's benefits for same-sex couples. Full Story
The U.S. Department of Justice confirmed Monday it plans to ditch its longstanding position that Texas lawmakers purposefully discriminated against minority voters by passing the nation’s strictest voter identification law in 2011. Full Story
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A three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans dismissed a case brought against the state over a provision of Texas law that prohibits "concealing, harboring, or shielding" undocumented immigrants. Full Story
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Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller on Thursday left the tough talk on immigration in Austin while he held a historic press conference on one of the country's busiest international bridges to Mexico. Full Story
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The Texas’ House’s chief budget writer said that President Trump’s emergence in Washington shouldn’t give state lawmakers license to slice hefty appropriations for border security — at least not yet. Full Story
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The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Texas death row inmate Duane Buck, agreeing that his case was prejudiced by an expert trial witness who claimed Buck was more likely to be a future danger because he is black. Full Story
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Texas counties are facing financial pressures on both sides of a highly politicized debate over their role in enforcing federal immigration laws. Just look at Dallas County. Full Story
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Top Texas Republicans unveiled legislation Tuesday that would overhaul the state’s voter identification rules, an effort to comply with court rulings that have found the current law discriminates against minority groups. Full Story
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U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks ruled that Texas clinics affiliated with Planned Parenthood can continue to care for patients under the state’s Medicaid program. Full Story
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The Trump administration on Tuesday moved one step closer to implementing the president’s plans to aggressively rid the country of undocumented immigrants and expand local police-based enforcement of border security operations. Full Story
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The Texas proposal shares elements of both the original North Carolina law as well as the revised version approved last week by the Tar Heel State’s lawmakers. Full Story
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The state's “months-long delay” in producing documents “has been disruptive, time consuming, cost consuming” and has burdened plaintiffs in the voting rights lawsuit, the judge wrote. The order will run up Texas' legal tab. Full Story
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How do you help sex trafficking victims like Sarah who’ve learned that the way to survive is to flee? Full Story
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Rep. James White's House Bill 1676 would create a state-funded office to represent death-sentenced inmates who can’t afford their own lawyer in their direct appeals to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Full Story
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After Harris County’s move to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana, Texas lawmakers disagree about whether local jurisdictions have the discretion to enact such policies. Full Story
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A week after immigration agents launched surprise raids in Austin and surrounding areas, hundreds marched downtown in protest, saying fear has engulfed the Central Texas immigrant community. Full Story
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Prosecutors in the criminal case against the Texas attorney general argue the trial should be moved out of Collin County. They fear they won't get a fair shake there. Full Story
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FBI and IRS agents raided the law offices of Texas Sen. Carlos Uresti on Thursday morning, confiscating documents and other items. Full Story
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