An appointment to the high court would require a two-thirds confirmation vote, potentially handing Texas Senate Democrats an important bargaining chip in the contentious legislative debates to come.
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
Texas Legislature 2019
Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht calls for nonpartisan judicial elections, bail reform
In the wake of a midterm election that saw four major state appeals courts flip on partisan lines, Hecht called on lawmakers to consider changing Texas to a system of merit selection and retention elections.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Courts have called Texas bail practices unconstitutional. Will that push this year’s reform efforts to success?
Two years after a bail reform bill died in the Legislature, new bail legislation has other factors working in its favor.
Posted in
Texas Voting Rights
Another group of civil rights organizations sues Texas over voter citizenship review
The ACLU and others are asking a federal court to block counties from sending notices requiring certain voters to prove their citizenship.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is seeking more power this session to prosecute voter fraud and abortion-related crimes
Paxton’s office has asked lawmakers for millions more in funding and expanded jurisdiction to go after certain crimes. Critics say the requests are aimed at political gains.
Posted in
Texas Voting Rights
Naturalized citizens suing over Texas voter citizenship review, calling it conspiracy to single out foreign-born Texans
The plaintiffs allege the state’s move to flag tens of thousands of registered voters for citizenship reviews violates the U.S. Constitution and the federal Voting Rights Act.
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Texas Voting Rights
Naturalized citizen flagged in Texas voter citizenship review joins lawsuit against state
Atascosa County resident Julie Hilberg — a naturalized citizen whose registration was flagged by the state — is joining a lawsuit against top Texas officials.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2019
Texas still doesn’t have a law on intellectual disability and the death penalty. Will that change this year?
Nearly two decades after the U.S. Supreme Court said it was unconstitutional to execute those with intellectual disabilities, Texas still has no process on determining the condition — leaving life-and-death decisions in the hands of courts with very different methods.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Thirty years after the killing of a Houston police officer, Texas executes Robert Jennings
Jennings was put to death Wednesday for the 1988 murder of Elston Howard. The long sentence was complicated by constantly evolving death penalty laws.
Posted in
Texas Voting Rights
Civil rights groups warn that Texas voter citizenship check could violate federal law
Thirteen groups issued the warning, and some are considering suing the state.
