Mirroring a national trend, death sentences in Texas have declined over the last decade. Death sentences have fallen 75 percent since 2002, according to a new report. And the Texas death row population is the lowest in more than 20 years.
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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Criminal Justice
Abbott Backs Federal Measure Increasing Child Porn Penalties
Attorney General Greg Abbott expressed support Friday for a federal measure that increases penalties for viewing child pornography. Federal judges and advocates have said that the penalties are already steep enough.
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Criminal Justice
Perry Shuffles the Deck
As he enters the last regular session of this term as governor, Rick Perry opts for a trusted supporter in a top political job and a respected agency manager to run his own office.
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Criminal Justice
New Divorce Forms Make Breakups Cheaper, Easier, but Stoke Controversy
A Texas Supreme Court decision approving standardized divorce forms will give poor people easier access to divorce than ever before. But opponents of the forms worry that without a lawyer’s help, the process could go wrong.
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Criminal Justice
Bill Would Require Police to Record Interrogations
Advocates for a bill requiring police to record interrogations argue it could prevent innocent people from confessing to crimes they didn’t commit. Some in law enforcement worry the requirement would make it harder to try cases.
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Criminal Justice
In Judicial Appointments, Perry Reaches Beyond Executive Branch
Gov. Rick Perry’s control of the executive branch after 12 years in office is well established. But he’s made hundreds of judicial appointments, too.
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Criminal Justice
Newsreel: Freshmen Invade, Perry Appoints
This week in the Texas Weekly Newsreel: It’s freshman orientation at the Texas Capitol, and Gov. Rick Perry has appointed a new Texas Supreme Court justice and a new secretary of state.
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Criminal Justice
Attorney General Seeks to Seize Polygamist Ranch
The Texas attorney general’s office is pursuing legal action to seize the West Texas ranch owned by the polygamist sect led by Warren Jeffs, who is serving life in prison for sexually assaulting young girls.
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Criminal Justice
Bill Would Restrict Informant Testimony in Death Penalty Cases
Reform advocates argue that a bill banning “snitch” testimony would help prevent wrongful convictions. But critics of the measure say that current rules protect defendants and that eliminating such testimony could tie prosecutors’ hands.
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Criminal Justice
Senate Committee Hears Testimony on Open Records Law
The Senate Committee on Open Government heard testimony Monday surrounding the Texas Public Information Act. Among the discussions was one focused on reducing “frivolous and overly burdensome” requests.
