Her resignation is effective Friday, she told Gov. Greg Abbott in a letter.
Courts
Stay up to date on Texas courts with in-depth coverage of major rulings, judicial elections, criminal justice, and the judges shaping state law from The Texas Tribune.
Posted in
Health care
Lawsuit to block Lubbock’s abortion ban is dismissed in court as the ordinance takes effect
Planned Parenthood sued to block the “sanctuary city for the unborn” ordinance, passed by voters in May, but a federal judge said he didn’t have jurisdiction to hear the case. The ordinance went into effect Tuesday.
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Texas Legislature 2021
GOP priority bail bill dies in Texas House after Democrats walk out on voting bill
House Bill 20 would have made it harder for arrestees to get out of jail without cash and limited charitable bail funds’ ability to post bond for people. Gov. Greg Abbott said bail legislation will be included in a special session.
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Texas Legislature 2021
President Joe Biden says Texas voting bill is “part of an assault on democracy”
Senate Bill 7, a Republican priority voting bill, would limit early voting hours, curtail local voting options and further clamp down on mail-in voting, among several other provisions.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s criminal case to be heard in Collin County, appeals court rules
The case was moved to Harris County from Collin County after prosecutors argued that having the trial there would be unfair because of Paxton’s political ties in that region.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals upholds “revenge porn” law
In 2018, a lower court ruled that a state law that prohibits posting someone’s intimate photos online without their permission violated the First Amendment. Wednesday’s ruling overturns that decision.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
For the first time in more than 40 years, media were not allowed to witness a Texas execution
On Wednesday, the state executed Quintin Jones, 41, for the Tarrant County murder of his great-aunt in 1999.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas executed Quintin Jones for murdering his great aunt. Supporters questioned if race played a factor in his clemency rejection.
Relatives of Jones and his victim pleaded for the state to spare his life, but the Texas parole board declined. His lawyer argued that was because Jones was Black, since a white man in a similar situation was spared.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas House bill could shield companies from liability after commercial vehicle crashes
HB 19’s sponsors say the bill will prevent excessive lawsuits against companies, but road safety advocates say the bill would make Texas roads more dangerous and prevent victims of crashes from receiving justice.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Gov. Greg Abbott signs into law one of nation’s strictest abortion measures, banning procedure as early as six weeks into a pregnancy
The signing of the bill opens a new frontier in the battle over abortion restrictions as first-of-its-kind legal provisions intended to make the law harder to challenge are poised to be tested in the courts.
