Texas has a host of high-profile legal battles in the works, ranging from voting rights to political maps.
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
Courts
Texas appears to concede voting rights case on language interpreter law
It appears that Texas will not ask the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a case against the state’s restrictions on language interpreters at the ballot box, letting a lower court ruling stand.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
What’s happening in Harris County now that the sheriff issues bail bonds?
The burden of a federal court order mandating the free release of poor misdemeanor defendants from jail has fallen onto the Harris County Sheriff. County data shows more than 40 percent of the sheriff’s bonds fail because defendants aren’t showing up to court, but critics say that number doesn’t tell the whole story.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Texas Court of Criminal Appeals halts state’s last execution of 2017
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals stopped the state’s last remaining execution of 2017, sending the San Antonio case back to court to resolve claims of false testimony at trial.
Posted in
Politics
Don Willett defends controversial tweets as jokes at confirmation hearing before U.S. Senate
Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett, a nominee of President Donald Trump to a federal court, defended past tweets about transgender people and same-sex marriage as jokes at a confirmation hearing Wednesday.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
In race against Texas judge Sharon Keller, Republican highlighting infamous death row call
Sharon Keller, the longtime presiding judge of Texas’ Court of Criminal Appeals, has tried to move on from several past ethical controversies — including blocking the last-minute appeal of a 2007 execution. A primary challenger hopes voters will reconsider them.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
“Sanctuary cities” law hearing draws debate on free speech, ICE detainers
It was round two in New Orleans on Tuesday for attorneys for the state of Texas and opponents of the state’s anti-“sanctuary cities” law, Senate Bill 4.
Posted in
Demographics
Texas back in federal court over anti-“sanctuary cities” law
Attorneys for the state of Texas are set to head back before the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Tuesday to defend the state’s new immigration enforcement law.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Prosecutor asks for current medical standards in death penalty evaluations
The top prosecutor in Harris County is proposing a new way for Texas to determine if a death-sentenced inmate is intellectually disabled and therefore ineligible for execution: use the current clinical books.
Posted in
Courts
Texas ban on abortion procedure heads to trial
Arguments began Thursday in a trial over a state ban on dilation and evacuation abortions, the most common second-trimester abortion procedure.
