Category Archives: Legal matters

Preliminary injunction sought against mail ballot restrictions

Posted on December 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Of interest. Today in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law, Weil, Gotshal & Manges, and the Harris County Attorney’s Office moved for a preliminary injunction in Longoria v. Paxton, their challenge … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Preliminary injunction sought against mail ballot restrictions

Another look at the Aguirre/Hotze debacle

Posted on December 29, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Man, do I ever want this to be the end of Steven Hotze as a political force. A well-funded far-right group—that made inroads with Stop The Steal organizations, paid a former police captain more than $200,000 to hunt ballots, and became entangled in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Election 2020, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The state of the state redistricting lawsuits

Posted on December 26, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

A good update, and a reminder that not all of the action is in federal court. In two cases heard [December 14 and 15], a group of mostly Democratic, Hispanic lawmakers from both chambers challenged the legality of when and … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The “prison gerrymandering” lawsuit

Posted on December 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Of the many lawsuits filed so far over Texas redistricting, this is the one I know the least about. Nearly a quarter of a million people were incarcerated in Texas when the Census was taken last year. When lawmakers redrew … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

From the “Keeping track of all these lawsuits is hard” department

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Spotted on Democracy Docket: Today, a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas denied a motion to dismiss Vote.org v. Callanen. The case, filed earlier this summer, challenges Texas’ “wet signature” law that requires individuals who submit … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on From the “Keeping track of all these lawsuits is hard” department

Apparently, we’re still litigating whether Texas Central is a railroad

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I admit, I’m a bit confused by this. The Texas attorney general’s office has put its weight behind a landowner’s case against the companies developing a controversial Dallas-Houston bullet train, arguing they can’t force people to sell parcels needed for … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Rep. Martinez-Fischer sues over CD35

Posted on December 21, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

One more federal redistricting lawsuit to add to the pile. Texas State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer filed a lawsuit today challenging boundaries of the recently redrawn U.S. House District 35. In the lawsuit, Fischer claims that the redrawn map violates … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

SCOTUS finds another way to screw abortion rights

Posted on December 20, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Surely you’re not surprised. The Supreme Court has formally returned a lawsuit over Texas’ six-week abortion ban to a federal appeals court that has twice allowed the law to stay in effect, rather than to a district judge who sought … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Biden employer vaccine mandate back on

Posted on December 19, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

For now, at least. A federal appeals court panel on Friday allowed President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for larger private employers to move ahead, reversing a previous decision on a requirement that could affect some 84 million U.S workers. … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Biden employer vaccine mandate back on

CCA tells Ken Paxton he’s not the supreme prosecutor

Posted on December 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Cry me a river, Kenny. Texas’ highest court for criminal cases on Wednesday struck down a law that allows the attorney general to unilaterally prosecute election cases. The state’s Court of Criminal Appeals issued an 8-1 opinion saying a provision … Continue reading →

Posted in Crime and Punishment, Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Settlement in Larry Nassar abuse case

Posted on December 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The legal wrangling between USA Gymnastics and the hundreds of victims of sexual abuse by former national team doctor Larry Nassar, among others, is over after a $380 million settlement was reached. The fight for substantive change within the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, Other sports | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Settlement in Larry Nassar abuse case

Travis Scott speaks

Posted on December 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Really not sure this was his best move. Amid countless lawsuits against him, Travis Scott sat down with The Breakfast Club radio personality, Charlamagne tha God, for his first public interview since a dangerous crowd surge injured hundreds and left … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Two Georgia election workers sue over post-election harassment

Posted on December 12, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I am so rooting for them. In the aftermath of the 2020 election, the Gateway Pundit—one of the country’s leading sources of pro-Trump misinformation—helped instigate a vicious harassment campaign against two Black Georgia election workers, according to a new lawsuit. As Republicans desperately … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

SCOTUS allows providers’ lawsuit against SB8 to proceed

Posted on December 11, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

There’s a lot to unpack here. The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday ruled that the legal challenge brought forward by abortion providers against Texas’ abortion restriction law may continue, bringing new life into what has become the most significant effort … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

State judge rules SB8 is unconstitutional

Posted on December 10, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Sounds a little better than it actually is, but it’s still pretty good. A Texas judge on Thursday ruled that the state’s controversial law restricting abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy violates the Texas Constitution, saying it should not … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Justice Department sues Texas over redistricting maps

Posted on December 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Add it to the queue. The Department of Justice is suing Texas over its new redistricting maps, alleging that lawmakers intentionally discriminated against Latino and Black voters while redrawing the state’s political districts this year. The lawsuit, filed in federal … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Justice Department sues Texas over redistricting maps

A brief look at the winter storm litigation

Posted on December 7, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This story is actually about the judge who will be presiding over winter storm cases, but it caught my eye for a reason that will be apparent. Sylvia A. Matthews presided over more than 175 jury trials and 160 bench … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

It’s not looking good for Roe v Wade

Posted on December 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Yesterday, it seemed like there was the possibility of a chance that SCOTUS could so something other than eviscerate abortion rights nationally. Today, not so much. I don’t have the energy to write a real post about it, so I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, National news | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Vaccine mandate for health care workers blocked

Posted on December 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

I’d say this is getting ridiculous, but we’re well past that point. A federal judge on Monday blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from enforcing a coronavirus vaccine mandate on thousands of health care workers in 10 states that had brought … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, National news | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Social media censorship law blocked

Posted on December 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

For now. As long as the outlaw Fifth Circuit exists, we can’t say more than that. A federal judge on Wednesday blocked a Texas law that seeks to restrict how social media companies moderate their content and was championed by … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

SCOTUS hears Mississippi abortion case today

Posted on December 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Could be the beginning of the end for Roe v Wade, or it could be the beginning of a massive upheaval in the anti-abortion industry. The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments on Wednesday in a Mississippi abortion case that … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Social media censorship lawsuit has its day in court

Posted on December 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a very dumb law that will hopefully be stopped before it takes effect tomorrow. Lawyers for two large tech industry groups appeared Monday in federal court in Austin to argue that Texas’ new social media law — inspired by … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Travis Scott’s legal team

Posted on December 1, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Some heavy hitters here. Prominent Los Angeles trial lawyer Daniel Petrocelli sent an electronic letter late last Wednesday to lawyers for the plaintiffs in the Astroworld Festival tragedy announcing that he now represents rapper Travis Scott and offering to pay … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Redistricting litigation update

Posted on November 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Reform Austin shows that the state’s legal defense strategy against the various redistricting lawsuits is “You can’t sue us!” Because of the clear racial gerrymandering, multiple groups are launching legal challenges under the Voting Rights Act. The state has now … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Appeals court upholds Dallas mask mandate

Posted on November 27, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

There’s still mask mandate litigation going on, and Greg Abbott keeps getting his ass handed to him. Mask mandates will be allowed in the State of Texas. The Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas issued the ruling during the late … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fifth Circuit puts school mask order on hold

Posted on November 26, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

This effing court. A federal appeals court has reinstated Gov. Greg Abbott’s executive order banning mask mandates as it weighs a federal judge’s ruling that the ban violates the rights of disabled students. U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel previously ruled … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Another AstroWorld lawsuit

Posted on November 26, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It must have sucked to have been a security guard at that event. Jackson Bush found the Astroworld Festival security gig through social media. He and his uncle, Samuel Bush, applied and the New York-based company, AJ Melino & Associates, … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Biden tries again on the employer vaccine mandate

Posted on November 24, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Different appeals court this time. The Biden administration is asking the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals to wipe away an order from another appeals court blocking its Occupational Safety and Health Administration vaccine mandate. Several lawsuits were brought challenging the … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Still waiting on SCOTUS

Posted on November 23, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

They’re in no rush. More than two weeks have passed since the Supreme Court’s extraordinarily rushed arguments over Texas’ unique abortion law without any word from the justices. They raised expectations of quick action by putting the case on a … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

ACLU and others sue over new redistricting maps

Posted on November 19, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

The count is now seven. Civil rights groups filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday challenging new Texas state legislative and congressional district plans as unconstitutional racial gerrymanders violating both the Voting Rights Act and the U.S. Constitution. The suit details an … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Time for some bigger AstroWorld lawsuits

Posted on November 19, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Here is a large number. As the lawsuits continue to pile up following the aftermath of the Astroworld Festival tragedy, attorney Tony Buzbee has filed one of the largest yet. The prominent Houston lawyer filed a suit Monday on behalf … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Texas sues over the health care workers vaccine mandate

Posted on November 18, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

It’s a trifecta. In Texas’ latest legal challenge targeting federal vaccination mandates, Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the Biden administration over its recent order requiring health workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The Biden administration issued an emergency order, … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Republicans sue over new Commissioners Court map

Posted on November 17, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Hilarious. Republican Commissioners Jack Cagle and Tom Ramsey have filed a voting rights lawsuit in state court in hopes of halting a Harris County redistricting plan they claim strips more than 1.1 million people of their right to vote in … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Harris County to pause the I-45 lawsuit

Posted on November 16, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Gonna give talking a try. You never know. Harris County will pause its lawsuit against the Texas Department of Transportation over the proposed Interstate 45 widening in hopes that it leads to a consensus that has eluded them for more … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments