Texas

Texas justice tweets in his Camry’s persona

A Texas justice recently confirmed to a federal appeals court isn’t the only member of the Texas Supreme Court with a penchant for Twitter. Jeffrey Brown has been tweeting in the persona of his Toyota Camry at the handle @Camryofjustice, Texas Lawyer reports. He also tweets at @judgejeffbrown, and the…

Jan 16, 2018 12:30 PM CST

8 states file brief supporting the government’s attempt to deny abortions to immigrant minors

Eight states described as having “a legitimate and substantial interest in preserving and promoting fetal life” have weighed in on a lawsuit seeking to clear the way for immigrant minors in federal custody to have abortions. An amicus brief in Garza v. Hargan from the states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Michigan,…

Jan 9, 2018 4:02 PM CST

ICE detention center proposed for rural Wyoming town with no immigration attorneys

A private company has proposed to build an immigration detention center outside Evanston, Wyoming—a town that reportedly has no immigration lawyers and is more than an hour away from the nearest immigration court in Salt Lake City. The jail proposal is from the Management & Training Corporation, a Utah contractor…

Jan 9, 2018 11:42 AM CST

How New York could change the game for its criminal defendants

After decades of criticism from defense attorneys and others, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday he would push to change New York’s “blindfold law,” which allows prosecutors to withhold evidence against a criminal defendant until just before trial. “We need discovery reform,” Cuomo, a Democrat, said in his annual State of…

Jan 9, 2018 10:13 AM CST

Advocates are fighting to outlaw adult marriages to minors

Virginia, Texas and New York forbid under-18 marriages, except for emancipated minors. Six more states will consider legislation soon. More than half of all states do not specify a minimum age for marriage.

Jan 1, 2018 3:25 AM CST

A top lawyer for the Texas attorney general resigns after calling #MeToo claims ‘pathetic’

A top aide to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton resigned Thursday after criticizing the #MeToo movement on Facebook. Associate Deputy Attorney General Andrew Leonie resigned “effective immediately,” according to a spokesman for Paxton’s office. The New York Times, the Associated Press, the Texas Tribune and the Dallas Morning News have…

Dec 15, 2017 10:35 AM CST

Woman with profane anti-Trump bumper sticker that offended Texas sheriff is arrested

A Texas woman who displayed a “F— Trump” bumper sticker on her truck has been arrested on an outstanding warrant after the local sheriff said on Facebook he would like to find the owner to discuss the “offensive display.” Karen Fonseca was arrested on Thursday, report BuzzFeed News, the Houston…

Nov 17, 2017 11:02 AM CST

Texas prosecutor is fired after an Uber driver claims she slapped and berated him

An assistant district attorney in Dallas County, Texas, has been fired after an Uber driver alleged she slapped his shoulder and called him an idiot when he was taking her home late Friday night. Jody Warner had worked in the unit prosecuting crimes against children, the Dallas Morning News reports.…

Nov 14, 2017 10:22 AM CST

Texas law school serving at-risk students achieves 59% bar pass rate

The University of North Texas Dallas College of Law, which opened in 2014 to help students with lower admission credentials gain law licenses, had a 59.3 percent pass rate for the July 2017 Texas bar exam, its first graduating class.

Nov 9, 2017 3:00 PM CST

Judge is reprimanded for courtroom demeanor and handling of contempt proceedings against lawyers

A Texas judge will have to take judicial education classes as part of a public reprimand for his dealings with lawyers and possible jurors. Judge Luis Aguilar of El Paso was publicly reprimanded on Nov. 6 for his handling of contempt proceedings against lawyers and interactions with people in his…

Nov 9, 2017 12:32 PM CST

Judge is accused of trying to run a car off the road and brandishing a gun

A South Texas judge has pleaded not guilty in connection with an alleged road rage incident in which he is accused of trying to run a car off the road and brandishing a gun. Judge Guy Williams of the Corpus Christi area was indicted Friday on two counts of aggravated…

Nov 6, 2017 3:10 PM CST

Is prolific tweeting Texas justice’s social media farewell a thank you for 5th Circuit nomination?

Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett has more than 100,000 Twitter followers on Twitter, but they haven’t seen anything new on the social media platform from the justice since Sept. 28. On that date, Willett thanked President Donald Trump and Texas’ two senators for his nomination to the New Orleans-based…

Oct 20, 2017 11:19 AM CDT

Temporary restraining order puts suspension of Cowboys’ Elliott on hold again

A federal court on Tuesday granted a temporary restraining order (PDF) that again blocks a six-game suspension imposed against Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott by the National Football League over domestic violence allegations. The Dallas Morning News, the New York Times, NFL.com and Sports Illustrated have coverage. The temporary…

Oct 18, 2017 3:25 PM CDT

Top Texas court considers whether to toss legal fee estimated at $48K an hour

A federal appellate nominee and a former Texas Supreme Court justice are representing opposing sides in a battle over an oral agreement to pay legal fees in a case involving family trusts of the late oilman H.L. Hunt. At issue is a $7.5 million contingency fee that amounts to an…

Oct 17, 2017 10:42 AM CDT

5th Circuit vacates injunction blocking suspension of Cowboys’ Elliott

An appeals court on Thursday vacated an injunction blocking Dallas Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott’s six-game suspension imposed by the NFL over domestic violence allegations be vacated and remanded the case to district court for dismissal. The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled (PDF) that the district court…

Oct 13, 2017 5:00 PM CDT