The latest courts news from The Texas Tribune.
A state judge ruled that a statement Border Patrol Agent Joel Luna voluntarily gave authorities can be used in his murder trial. Sparring over evidence marked the first day of his trial in South Texas, in a case that has stoked concern about alleged law enforcement corruption on the U.S. side of the border. Full Story
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Texas House and Senate leaders are starting out the legislative session nearly $8 billion apart according in dueling budget proposals released Tuesday. Among the sticking points: spending on public education and border security. Full Story
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The capital murder case began in 2015 with the discovery of a headless body floating off South Padre Island. The trial of two men charged in the case — a U.S. Border Patrol agent and his Mexican-born brother — begins today in South Texas. Full Story
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As a case against State Rep. Dawnna Dukes is scheduled to get a grand jury hearing on Tuesday, some of her constituents worry the case will distract her from fulfilling their needs. Full Story
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A year and a half after Sandra Bland was found dead in the Waller County Jail, Texas lawmakers are expected to consider new jail reforms. But rural sheriffs worry the state’s tight budget situation could result in unfunded mandates. Full Story
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Bills targeting "sanctuary cities" failed to pass the Texas Legislature in 2011 and 2015, but similar efforts this session have better chances of making it to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. Full Story
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Full video of Evan Smith's 1/13 conversation with civil rights activist and educator DeRay Mckesson at our symposium on race and public policy. Full Story
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The U.S. Supreme Court said Friday it would review the legal complexities in a Texas death penalty case, where a man killed a 5-year-old and her grandmother. Full Story
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Lawyers for Attorney General Ken Paxton argue the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is scrambling to save its civil securities fraud case against him. Paxton is headed to trial in May on similar criminal charges at the state level. Full Story
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A bill in the Texas Legislature would institute a $25 million grant program to pay for bulletproof vests for all patrol officers in Texas. Full Story
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Attorney General Ken Paxton is accused of misleading investors in a company from before his time as Texas’ top law enforcement official. His trial is scheduled to start on May 1, according to a recent court order. Full Story
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The first execution in Texas and the United States, for the killer of two men in Fort Worth after a fake drug deal, was held Wednesday evening. Full Story
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On the same day that Texas House Republicans doubled down on border security efforts and announced plans to send an invoice to the federal government, Senate Democrats said they were committed to fighting bills to eliminate sanctuary cities. Full Story
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State Rep. Matt Schaefer, a Tyler Republican, proposed a rule Wednesday requiring people in the Capitol to use bathrooms corresponding to their biological sex during a House floor debate. Full Story
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The 2017 legislative session will open without former state Sen. Rodney Ellis, a 26-year lawmaker who became a criminal justice reform titan in the upper chamber. Full Story
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After some Dallas City Council members voiced concerns this week over Whitmire’s work at a law firm whose client list includes city pension fund boards, the Houston Democrat said he would likely abstain from voting on Dallas-specific bills. Full Story
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A viral video of a white Fort Worth police officer forcefully arresting a black woman and her daughters has put a spotlight on the city's police chief, Joel Fitzgerald. Many are waiting to see how he handles the fallout. Full Story
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Hey Texplainer: A state lawmaker who was hit in the head by a stray bullet during a New Year’s celebration says he plans to file a bill to stop "celebratory gunfire." Isn't shooting your gun into the air already illegal in Texas? Full Story
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On Wednesday the U.S. Fifth Circuit of Appeals will hear arguments over whether an immigrant harboring provision lawmakers passed nearly two years ago should be implemented. Full Story
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More than a year after the feds blocked Texas from importing an execution drug, Texas filed a lawsuit demanding a final decision on whether the drugs can be delivered. Full Story
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