Texas

Lawyer who claimed his paralegal likely tried to poison him may proceed with suit, Texas court rules

A paralegal accused in a lawsuit of falsely claiming that her lawyer boss was depressed to cover up his alleged poisoning can’t get his libel claims dismissed, a Texas appeals court has ruled.

Feb 15, 2022 1:27 PM CST

Weekly Briefs: Biden describes 4 potential SCOTUS nominees; US liable for over $230M in church shooting

Biden does ‘deep dive’ on ‘about 4’ potential SCOTUS nominees President Joe Biden told NBC Nightly News on Thursday that he has done a “deep dive” on “about four” potential U.S. Supreme Court nominees, meaning that they have been subjected to thorough background checks. Biden said his short list includes…

Feb 11, 2022 2:23 PM CST

Challenge to Texas abortion law faces more delays after SCOTUS allows certified question

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday refused to block a federal appeals court’s decision to certify a question to the Texas Supreme Court regarding the challenge to the state’s abortion law.

Jan 21, 2022 9:45 AM CST

Staffer did not impersonate judge in online hearing, court employees say

Court employees deny that a Dallas County, Texas, judge authorized her court coordinator to impersonate her during an online hearing in August.

Jan 10, 2022 12:31 PM CST

Kramer Levin lawyers are sanctioned for ‘vitriolic and unsubstantiated’ anti-Semitism claims

A federal judge has sanctioned three lawyers from Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel for “vitriolic and unsubstantiated allegations” that the opposing counsel resorted to anti-Semitic stereotypes to influence jurors.

Dec 20, 2021 4:13 PM CST

3 states accounted for most of this year’s low number of executions and death sentences, new report says

Death sentences and executions remain low and geographically isolated, according to a year-end report released Thursday by the Death Penalty Information Center.

Dec 16, 2021 9:21 AM CST

Appeals court upholds admission of inmate’s Comedy Central interview at his death penalty trial

A trial judge didn’t err by admitting footage of an inmate’s conversation with a Comedy Central comedian during the penalty phase of the inmate’s murder trial, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled last week.

Dec 15, 2021 8:52 AM CST

Supreme Court allows abortion providers to sue over Texas law but keeps law intact for now

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday that abortion providers can sue over a Texas abortion law that authorizes private parties to sue anyone who aids an abortion performed after about six weeks of pregnancy.

Dec 10, 2021 9:30 AM CST

DOJ suit over redrawn voting districts in Texas ‘puts other states on notice’

The U.S. Department of Justice sued Texas on Monday to block redrawn voting districts for congressional and statehouse elections.

Dec 7, 2021 9:49 AM CST

New prosecutors reopen investigations into deadly police shootings

Progressive prosecutors are reopening investigations of deadly police shootings that resulted in no charges under their predecessors, spurring pushback from police unions.

Dec 2, 2021 11:55 AM CST

Chemerinsky: Ruling in abortion cases will greatly affect women’s lives but won’t end controversy

On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which involves a Mississippi law prohibiting abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy.

Nov 30, 2021 9:06 AM CST

Weekly Briefs: New charges against lawyer accused of staging his shooting; Christian florist settles

Suspended lawyer Alex Murdaugh faces new charges Suspended South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh, previously charged in an alleged scheme to have himself killed for insurance money, is facing 27 new charges as the result of five indictments by a South Carolina state grand jury. The indictments allege that Murdaugh stole…

Nov 19, 2021 4:14 PM CST

Supreme Court should reverse decision in Texas ineffective counsel case, ABA says

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals’ consideration of a Texas death row inmate’s case deviated from the U.S. Supreme Court’s prior instruction regarding ineffective assistance of counsel and conflicted with its precedents, the ABA told the Supreme Court on Thursday.

Nov 19, 2021 11:54 AM CST

Litigation funder’s contracts leave some lawyers owing double the amount borrowed

Lawyers who received litigation funding from Pravati Capital are sometimes tripped up by contract provisions that leave them owing more than double the amount that they borrowed.

Nov 18, 2021 11:00 AM CST

Leaked helicopter footage from police shows close-ups of sunbathers, infrared look inside buildings

Leaked footage from police helicopters shows surveillance of people in Dallas and Atlanta who apparently have no idea that they are on camera.

Nov 12, 2021 11:23 AM CST