Texas

Ex-babysitter who hit infant 40 years ago pleads guilty to manslaughter in his 2019 death

A former babysitter pleaded guilty to manslaughter Wednesday for the 2019 death of a 35-year-old man, saying in an apology letter she hit him when he was a baby 40 years ago.

Aug 22, 2024 9:56 AM CDT

Ex-bankruptcy judge who tried to avoid deposition in romance case ordered to take ethics training

A former bankruptcy judge has been sanctioned for trying to avoid a deposition by submitting to an unauthorized off-the-record interview with the law firm that employed his romantic partner.

Aug 19, 2024 12:37 PM CDT

Rule change to allow paraprofessionals to offer limited legal services proposed by top Texas court

The Texas Supreme Court is seeking comment on a proposal that would allow qualified nonlawyers to provide some legal services to low-income Texans.

Aug 7, 2024 10:19 AM CDT

Florida lawyer admits trying to ignite bomb outside Chinese embassy in DC

A criminal defense lawyer from Florida pleaded guilty Friday to trying to ignite an explosive device outside the Chinese Embassy in Washington last year, and causing an explosion in San Antonio in 2022 outside the headquarters of Texas Public Radio.

Aug 2, 2024 3:05 PM CDT

5th Circuit avoids immigration-invasion argument in ruling for Texas in buoy barrier case

A Texas effort to deter illegal immigration with floating buoys in the Rio Grande River got a boost Tuesday, when a federal appeals court permitted the state to keep the 1,000-foot barrier in place during a legal challenge.

Aug 1, 2024 12:49 PM CDT

Forum shopping happens, but has the Northern District of Texas gone too far?

Since being appointed to the bench in 2019, federal Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who sits in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Amarillo, has become known for rulings affecting efforts to ensure minors’ access to birth control and expand LGBTQ+ rights. How does one judge end up handling so many high-profile cases?

Aug 1, 2024 1:00 AM CDT

Sept. 24, 1962: Estes scandal goes to court

By the time his first trial was set to begin, Billie Sol Estes was already a national celebrity: a cotton and fertilizer mogul at age 37, a lay evangelist of Christian-based business principles and an accused con man whose manipulation of federal subsidies and Ponzi-style scheming sent political tremblors from…

Aug 1, 2024 12:10 AM CDT

4 surprising signs of attorney stress and some ways to address it

The long hours and the pressure to succeed are like a pressure cooker just waiting to explode. And often, your body will start giving you signs that you have to help your mind. While you may recognize common signs of stress—tension headaches, fatigue and mood changes—there are other surprising signs of stress that your body may provide. Here are some to watch.

Jul 24, 2024 8:46 AM CDT

Federal judge who banned female prosecutor from his courtroom won’t face discipline after giving up cases

A federal judge who banned a female prosecutor from his courtroom and made alleged “disparaging remarks” about female attorneys won’t face discipline for his actions.

Jul 10, 2024 9:18 AM CDT

Sept. 11 defense lawyer, winner of ABA Journal’s 2024 Ross Writing Contest, recognizes humanity of reviled clients

Updated: A former public defender who represents a detainee at Guantanamo Bay is the winner of the 2024 ABA Journal/Ross Writing Contest for Legal Short Fiction.

Jul 9, 2024 11:08 AM CDT

Law requiring proof of age to access online adult content will get Supreme Court review

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Tuesday to consider what standard should be used to evaluate the constitutionality of a Texas law that requires proof of age to access websites with pornography and other adult content.

Jul 2, 2024 12:35 PM CDT

States can’t regulate social media platforms to achieve ‘speech nirvana,’ Supreme Court says

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday favored the First Amendment rights of social media companies to moderate content in a decision that sent two cases back to lower courts for more analysis.

Jul 1, 2024 10:25 AM CDT

These 3 law firms are paying summer bonuses; will BigLaw follow?

Is the summer-bonus bandwagon for associates getting revved up? Law firms in California, Texas and New York have announced summer bonuses collectively ranging from $2,500 to $30,000.

Jun 25, 2024 9:02 AM CDT

Gun laws aren’t ‘trapped in amber,’ SCOTUS says while upholding restraining-order gun ban

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday upheld a federal law banning gun possession by those who are subject to domestic-violence restraining orders.

Jun 21, 2024 10:03 AM CDT

5th Circuit took ‘overly cramped view’ of precedent in retaliatory arrest suit, Supreme Court says

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday for a former city council member who claims that her arrest for placing her citizen petition into a binder stemmed from a retaliatory political vendetta.

Jun 20, 2024 11:30 AM CDT