Already facing calls to limit when teenagers are treated as adults in the criminal justice system, Texas lawmakers next year may also see legislation trying to keep preteens from being shunted into the juvenile justice system.
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
Criminal Justice
Senators Consider Texas Nominees for Long-Vacant Judicial Seats
During a hearing of the U.S. Senate’s Judiciary Committee that convened to consider nominees for five federal district court seats in Texas, the candidates promised senators they would steer clear of becoming activist judges.
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Criminal Justice
Cruz, Cornyn Try to Deliver Five New Federal Judges for Texas
Texas consistently ranks as one of the states with the most open seats on the federal bench, with some judgeships vacant for years. Five nominees are set for U.S. Senate committee hearings Wednesday.
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Criminal Justice
Juvenile Justice Agency Making Case to Escape Budget Cuts
If state leaders insist, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department has identified ways to cut its budget by $16.8 million, or 2.8 percent, for the 2018-2019 biennium.
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Criminal Justice
Texas Rep Wants to Limit His Industry’s Liability For Busting Pipes
State Rep. Cecil Bell, a private contractor, says he has a plan to curb costly and sometimes dangerous strikes to underground pipelines during construction: make sure whoever is responsible pays to fix them.
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Criminal Justice
In Ken Paxton Case, SEC Lawyers Face Skeptical Judge at Hearing
A federal judge considering whether to dismiss the civil fraud case against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton suggested that the Securities and Exchange Commission was trying to fit a “square peg into a round hole,” basing its case on precedents that do not back up their arguments.
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Unholstered
Even When Off Duty, Police Officers Have Wide Discretion to Shoot
In at least 66 cases — about 10 percent of police shootings in Texas’ largest cities between 2010 and 2015 — the officer pulling the trigger was off duty, according to an analysis of police data obtained by The Texas Tribune.
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Unholstered
Discipline, Charges Rare in Texas Police Shootings
At least 881 officers were involved in police shootings in Texas’ 36 largest cities between 2010 and 2015, according to data compiled by The Texas Tribune. Seven officers have faced criminal charges for pulling the trigger in that period. None have been convicted, so far.
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Unholstered
On Mental Crisis Calls, Police Sometimes Use Lethal Force
When police shoot a mentally ill person, calls inevitably follow for providing officers more training in how to de-escalate situations and deal with mental health issues.
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Criminal Justice
Here’s What a Former Police Chief Thinks of Texas Police Shootings
Our readers asked a former police chief about his experience and Texas police shootings. Here’s what he told them.
