A Harris County judge has dropped one of the criminal charges against an anti-abortion activist who was indicted after making undercover recordings of a Houston Planned Parenthood facility.
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
Patrick Takes Heat for Pre-Scheduled Posts After Orlando Shooting
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick drew outrage Sunday morning for pre-scheduled social media posts that said “man reaps what he sows” hours after a mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla. The posts had both been removed as of 11 a.m. Sunday.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Paxton Lawyers Seek Dismisal of SEC Case
Lawyers for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have asked a federal court to dismiss the federal securities fraud charges against him.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
After Outcry, Judge Delays Sanctions Against Obama Administration in Immigration Case
The Texas-based judge that earlier this year put a hold on President Obama’s executive order on immigration decided on Tuesday to also suspend a controversial punishment he had recently issued to the administration’s attorneys.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
District Attorney Drops Conviction Against Man Who Spent 20 Years on Death Row
Since 1977, prosecutors have said Kerry Max Cook raped, murdered and mutilated Linda Jo Edwards. On Monday, they set aside the conviction following claims of misconduct and DNA evidence tying another man to the crime.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Woman Fighting 1993 Murder Conviction Gets a Key Victory
A judge has ruled that a West Texas woman convicted of setting her uncle on fire is innocent of murder, basing his decision on new analysis of evidence presented at her 1993 trial. Sonia Cacy has been on parole since 1998.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
U.S. Supreme Court to hear Texas Death Penalty Cases
The cases of death row inmates Duane Buck and Bobby James Moore will be heard next term.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Sid Miller Says Finance Probes Going Nowhere
Four complaints were filed against Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in 2014 involving his campaign finance reports as a state legislator. One investigation has been closed, and Miller says he expects the other three to be dismissed.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Paxton Sends “Cease and Desist” to Ex-Staffer Critical of Trump U Investigation
Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office is seeking to silence a former official who claims his bosses nixed a lawsuit in 2010 against Trump University.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Civil Rights Groups Ask Appeals Court to Block Judge’s Immigration Order
A coalition of civil and immigrant rights groups on Friday asked an appeals court to stop a federal judge’s order that requires the Obama administration to turn over the confidential information of thousands of undocumented immigrants.
