Lawyers for Randy Halprin, a member of the “Texas Seven,” are requesting a stay of his execution amid allegations that the judge who handled his case made racist and anti-Semitic comments during his time on the bench.
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.
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TribCast
TribCast: Behind the new Texas laws that take effect Sept. 1
On this week’s TribCast, Emily talks to Ross, Alexa, Alex and Neena about the biggest new state laws taking effect Sept. 1, a crisis facing indigent defense in Texas, the new Texas secretary of state and the latest from the presidential campaign trail.
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Criminal Justice
How judicial conflicts of interest are denying poor Texans their right to an effective lawyer
For decades, Texans who can’t afford a lawyer have gotten caught in a criminal justice system that’s crippled by inadequate funding and overloaded attorneys. A growing body of caseload data — and a recent lawsuit — point to an even more fundamental hazard: the unchecked power of Texas judges.
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Politics
5th Circuit upholds Indian Child Welfare Act as constitutional, reversing lower court
The appeals court overturned a 2018 decision from a federal district judge who ruled that the law, which gives adoption placement preference to Native American tribes, was unconstitutional. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton challenged the law in 2017.
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Politics
With a new vacancy on the Texas Supreme Court, attention turns to diversity concerns
Gov. Greg Abbott has his third opportunity to appoint a judge to the state’s highest civil court. His first two picks were white men.
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Politics
U.S. Senate confirms Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Brown to the federal bench
The nod creates a vacancy on the state’s highest civil court, giving Gov. Greg Abbott his third opportunity to make an appointment.
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Criminal Justice
Harris County agreed to reform bail practices that keep poor people in jail. Will it influence other Texas counties?
Commissioners approved a settlement aiming to end yearslong litigation over Harris County’s misdemeanor bail system. Similar lawsuits in Dallas and other Texas cities also target how bail is set for people charged with felonies.
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Immigration
Federal judge in California halts Trump’s latest asylum ban
The judge said that Congress’ laws should not be overridden by “executive fiat.” But the decision came hours after another federal judge declined to halt the policy, setting up a potential race to appellate courts over the matter.
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Economy
Implementation of San Antonio paid sick-leave requirement delayed amid court fight
The ordinance was supposed to go into effect Aug. 1 but now will be delayed until Dec. 1. It requires businesses with more than 15 employees to allow workers to accrue 64 hours of paid sick leave per year.
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Criminal Justice
Texas AG Ken Paxton’s criminal case likely to face further delays as attorneys revive fights over venue, prosecutor pay
Attorneys in the securities case against Paxton brought back long-running fights this week with the potential to derail the 4-year-old case even further.
