This afternoon, the Supreme Court of Texas denied an OAG emergency motion to prevent the deposition of Attorney General Ken Paxton and other high-level executives in a lawsuit that alleges Paxton violated the Texas Whistleblower Act.
The Supreme Court of Texas has denied appellees' emergency motion for temporary relief in State of Texas v. Loe, allowing SB14 to go into effect on Sept. 1. The direct appeal in this case remains pending before the Court.
Find the order here:
The Supreme Court of Texas issued an opinion this evening in 23-0994, a petition for writ of mandamus regarding Ms. Kate Cox.
Find the opinion of the court here:
Orders here:
The Supreme Court of Texas holds court conference, at which the justices discuss all causes before the Court. Texas is one of very few state supreme courts that allow law clerks to attend deliberations. Clerks and staff attys sit against the walls.
#appellatetwitter
#TXCourts
The Supreme Court today granted an administrative stay in the State's petition for writ of mandamus concerning the
#UpliftHarris
guaranteed income program. Without regard to the merits, the order prohibits the County from making payments pending further order. 1/2
Today, the Supreme Court of Texas honored Adelina Hernandez, who retired recently after 26 years of outstanding service to the Court. Her friends and colleagues at the Court honored her with a proclamation for her service and a flag that had flown over the Capitol. 1/2
Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht greeted the Court's newest law clerks with words of encouragement as he administered the Law Clerk Oath. He reminded them that service - to the Rule of Law, the justice system, and the people of Texas - is their mission.
#scotx
#appellatetwitter
“Knowing what I know now, I would’ve spent a few less hours studying for the exam,” Alex Jablonski, the top scorer on the July Texas bar exam and a
@TAMULawSchool
graduate.
#txlawyers
.
@JusticeYoungTX
speaking to a group of fourth graders who requested that he put on his robe for the talk. Enter a valuable discussion of the meaning of the robe and treating everyone equally and fairly.
#AppellateTwitter
#txlawyers
Justice Jane Bland was speaking to a group of Cleburne business leaders about the work of the Court when she spotted the littlest visitor: Liberty Cantrell. And then this happened.⬇️
1/2
#txlaw
#scotx
@courthouse_mom
@CleburneChamber
The Supreme Court of Texas has issued the following order in an election night writ of mandamus regarding polling hours in Harris County:
#Election2022
#txlawyers
Congratulations to Judge Roy Ferguson
@JudgeFergusonTX
, Terry O. Tottenham, David R. McAtee II, and Roland K. Johnson in their appointments or reappointments to
@TexasATJ
.
A 'not-so-secret' fact: The Justices love their breakfast tacos. 🌮🌮
What better way to prepare for oral argument. Tacos make everyone more agreeable, right?
#appellatetwitter
#txlawyers
Ms. Melo attended law school part-time at night to obtain her degree. She brought her parents and brother to witness the event. Congratulations, Sheila!
#txattorneys
#txlawyers
Picture day! While taking chambers photos today of the justices with their staff attorneys, law clerks, and interns, Justice
@E_A_Young
wanted some shots of his own. 😀📸🧀
#appellatetwitter
#txlawyers
🚨 SCAM Alert 🚨: The Court has been alerted that scammers are using the Chief Justice's name in an email phishing scheme targeting Texans. The Court will never email or call individuals to request money or personal information.
#txlawyers
#passiton
The court recognizes that many across Texas are facing weather-related outages. The Court's current 33rd emergency order is broad and allows all courts to modify or suspend any and all deadlines and procedures to accommodate those affected.
The New Lawyer Induction Ceremony begins at 10! Top scorer Alex Jablonski, center, stopped by the Court this morning for an
@statebaroftexas
photo with (from left) BLE Chairman Augie Rivera, Justice
@BrettBusby
, and Chief Justice Nathan Hecht.
#txlawyers
Supreme Court Justice
@BrettBusby
today administered the new lawyer oath to Sheila Melo, an
@WinsteadPC
associate, who fell ill shortly before the
@statebaroftexas
New Lawyer Induction Ceremony.
Take a look at this fabulous photo snapped by Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Bert Richardson as SCOTX Chief Justice Nathan Hecht administered the oath of office to the state's newest attorneys at Monday's New Lawyer Induction Ceremony. 1/2
#txlawyers
@statebaroftexas
Justice Evan Young spoke to the Court’s newest cohort of law clerks this morning on the sanctity of the court’s deliberations and administered the oath of office, kicking off the 2022-23 Court term.
@JusticeYoungTX
#appellatetwitter
#txlawyers
Law Clerk Sara Baumgardner has an amazing talent! 🎶 Sara studied as an opera singer before
@TTU_Law
school and when she spoke to a group of students recently, they asked her to sing. What a treat to have captured this moment!!
#appellatetwitter
#txlawyers
Today we celebrate the retirement of a Texas Supreme Court titan. Linda Smith served the court for 34 years, assisting a shocking total of 9 justices. Chief Justice Hecht presented Ms. Smith with gifts including a flag flown over the capitol and a proclamation from the Court.
Justice
@BrettBusby
talks about the work of the Supreme Court with high school teachers from around Texas who are part of the
@statebaroftexas
@Texas_LRE
ambassador program, which gives them tools to teach law-related civics topics.
📢📢The Texas Board of Law Examiners has announced the top three scorers on the February Texas Bar Exam. 🎉
Congratulations to top scorer Campbell Sode!
@UVALaw
Read more:
The Supreme Court of Texas has denied a request to remove Justice John Devine from candidacy on 2024 the primary ballot.
Justice Devine did not participate in the matter.
Here is the opinion of the Court.
#appellatetwitter
#scotx
Justice
@rebecaahuddle
used her excellent Spanish skills to greet our esteemed guests,
@AMIGOS_Americas
youth ambassadors from Columbia and Ecuador, who are visiting Austin to learn about the Texas and federal courts systems.
#scotx
#AppellateTwitter
Good morning! Unfortunately, our website is down. We hope to have it restored soon. Meanwhile, here is a snap shot of the Court’s orders that will be correctly released as soon as our access is restored. Please ignore the “draft” portion as these orders are approved. Thank you.
The American Lawyers Alliance has honored Justice Brett Busby with its 2022 Judicial Civic Education Award. ALA President Noel Roberts visited the Court to present the national award. Learn more here:
@BrettBusby
@ABAesq
@ABAJournal
@SCOTXHistSocy
Behind the Bench: Justice
@BrettBusby
shared stories about his career and path to the bench over lunch with the Court's law clerks.
"Being an appellate lawyer your whole career, this is really a dream job," Busby told the group.
#scotx
#txlaw
#txlawyers
#appellatetwitter
1/2
Today, only two months into his SCOTX clerkship, my New Yorker law clerk arrived in chambers wearing his new cowboy boots. Ladies and gentlemen, my work here is done.
The Court's law clerks are prepped for the start of oral arguments tomorrow. Today, they reviewed the Court's process for accepting and reviewing petitions led by Clerk of Court
@blakeahawthorne
.
Justice Rebeca A. Huddle has an immediate opening for a law clerk for the Texas Supreme Court's 2022-2023 fall term. Find details about the position and learn how to apply here:
#appellatetwitter
The Supreme Court of Texas released an order today involving 23-0656 State of Texas v. Harris County. The Court noted probable jurisdiction, denied the County's motion for temporary relief, and set oral argument for Nov. 28.
See the orders here:
📢 📢 Today is the birthday of the longest-serving justice in the history of SCOTX! Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht is also the longest-serving Texas judge in active service. Happy Birthday Chief!
#txlawyers
#appellatetwitter
#law
📢 The Court is excited to announce it has finalized forms that help Texans create a simple will. 📝While the forms are not substitute for the advice of an attorney, they are an incredible resource to assist Texans representing themselves. 👏
Learn more:
Justice
@rebecaahuddle
passed out prizes in an impromptu quiz about the separation of powers. The prize? A dictionary! She told the students: “I know - a dictionary. But I love words.” She inscribed the books with “Words open worlds.”
Lunch + Learn: Pencil out career plans, but be prepared to abandon them for the right opportunity. Justice
@rebecaahuddle
recently urged the Court's law clerks to be flexible with their futures, noting she taught Spanish for a year to determine if teaching was her calling.
#scotx
Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht has been inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The academy was founded in 1780 by John Adams, John Hancock during the Am. Revolution. Congratulations, Chief! 👏👏
Read more:
@americanacad
#AppellateTwitter
The Court issued orders today that include 6 new grants. The Court also lifted the abatement in 21-1027 OAG v. Brickman, involving the Texas Whistleblower Act, and denied the petition for review.
Full orders:
Case summaries:
Hannah Shoss, the top scorer on the February Texas Bar Exam, poses for a photo with Justice Brett Busby (left) and Chief Justice Nathan Hecht (right) in advance of today’s New Lawyer Induction Ceremony.
@statebaroftexas
@BrettBusby
Justice
@BrettBusby
talks to a group of professionals from Leadership Burleson about the work of the Court, including its commitment to transparency to the public. Did you know you can watch all of the Court’s oral arguments on YouTube at
#scotx
Today at the Court: Justice Evan Young talks about the importance of civic education to Texas middle school teachers taking part in a
@Texas_LRE
program.
@statebaroftexas
@JusticeYoungTX
Good morning! Unfortunately, our website is down. We hope to have it restored soon. Meanwhile, here is a snap shot of the Court’s orders that will be correctly released as soon as our access is restored. Please ignore the “draft” portion as these orders are approved. Thank you.
Justice
@BrettBusby
speaks to a group of elementary school teachers who are taking part in
@Texas_LRE
Civic Ambassador training. The program provides teachers with resources to create civic education instructional strategies in their schools.
@statebaroftexas
The Texas Board of Law Examiners has announced its top scorers of the July Texas bar exam in advance of the Nov. 14 New Lawyer Induction Ceremony.
Drum roll, please! 🥁🥁🥁
#txlawyers
@statebaroftexas
1/5
Justice
@BrettBusby
talks to a group of visiting
@TexasTech
School of Law students about the Texas judiciary, Court procedure, and a host of other topics.
Chief Justice Hecht stated that in the last 23 years, the judiciary has only received 3 pay raises. “Inadequate compensation is the obvious reason for high attrition in the judiciary,” he stated, noting that in the 2020-21 biennium the turnover rate was 16%.
#SOJ2023
Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht, the 27th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, greeted members of the judiciary, legislative, and executive branches in the Supreme Court courtroom for his fifth State of the Judiciary address: “My fellow Texans.”
#Soj2023
Today,
@JusticeLehrmann
provided an update of the Court's work to the
@statebaroftexas
Board of Directors. Outside of its legal caseload, the Court is working hard to update judicial rules to accommodate changes made by
#txlege
this year.
(Photos courtesy of the bar)
#scotx
Behind the bench: Justice Jimmy Blacklock shares his thoughts on law school, his path to becoming a jurist, and work-life balance with the Court’s law clerks, telling them: “I appreciate your service to the Court and the people of Texas. Thank you for all you do.”
#SCOTX
Congratulations to Chief Justice Nathan Hecht, who has been awarded the prestigious, statewide Samuel Pessarra Outstanding Jurist Award from
@txbforg
. Read more about the award and Chief Hecht here:
#appellatetwitter
#TXCourts
Justice
@BrettBusby
talks about the work of the court with Houston-area students who are taking part in a politics, law, and government summer course through Wonderworks and
@RiceUniversity
.
Behind the Bench: Jurisprudence M. Natchia (yes, that really is her name) definitely wants to be a judge when she grows up. So on a chance meeting at the Court, Justice
@E_A_Young
invited Jurisprudence and her mom on an impromptu behind-the-scenes tour. 1/2
#scotx
📢 🎉 Texas Supreme Court Justice Jeff Boyd has been selected to receive the prestigious 2020 American Inns of Court Professionalism Award for the Fifth Circuit. Read more here:
@JeffBoydTX
@InnsOfCourt
#appellatetwitter
Chief Justice Nathan Hecht and six Supreme Court justices are serving as the final round judges for the
@TexYoungLawyers
State Moot Court Competition underway now in Houston.
Chief Justice Nathan Hecht and Justices Jeff Boyd, Jimmy Blacklock, Rebeca Huddle, and Evan Young welcome a delegation of Brazilian federal judges, visiting Austin for a conference on constitutionalism at
@UTexasLaw
. Bem-vindo!
@JeffBoydTX
@JusticeYoungTX
@rebecaahuddle
The Court was pleased to attend the Access to Justice Commission reception at the 2023
@statebaroftexas
Annual Meeting with the Commission’s Chair Harriet Miers and its interim Executive Director Judge Lora Livingston.
@TexasATJ
#scotx
#sbot23
With the help of Thatcher, Sophia, & Charlie, Justice
@JeffBoydTX
explains separation of powers to Girl Scout Troop 46118. Sophia is the legislative branch - maker of laws; Thatcher, executive - enforcer of laws; and little Charlie, the judicial branch - interpreter of laws.
If you don't know the story, here's an interesting look back. A portrait created from this image hangs in the courtroom today.
Today in Texas History: The First All-Women Supreme Court via
@TheTexanNews
Today is the Court’s first holiday celebration since the COVID-19 pandemic began. It’s a welcome break in a full conference day. Last Photo:
@JusticeYoungTX
shows Justice
@rebecaahuddle
, who was unable to attend, all the goodies she missed.
#AppellateTwitter
#txlawyers
Justice Archie is ready to rule! 🐶
Archie, the service dog, and his person, Cristina Johnson, a San Antonio teacher, visited today to learn about the work of the Court. Justice
@E_A_Young
(the occupant of that chair) may need to look over his shoulder!
@TxDOT
@TMCEC
#scotx
The Supreme Court has issued preliminary approval of rules for Texas' newly created Business Court and amendments to the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure for the new 15th Court of Appeals. Find both sets of orders here:
#appellatetwitter
#scotx
1/2
The Board of Law Examiners has announced the top scorers on the July 2023 Texas Bar Exam!
News release:
All new Texas lawyers are invited to take the oath of office at the
@statebaroftexas
New Lawyers Induction Ceremony on Oct. 30.
#txlawyers
#txlaw
The Court requests Harris County's response to the State’s emergency motion for temporary relief by 4:30 p.m. April 29. The state's petition for writ of mandamus and emergency motion for relief remain pending before the Court. 2/2
When you get to meet a TX Supreme Court justice on a school field trip, first you ask for a private photo, then you discuss your requests.
#joke
@JusticeYoungTX
Chief Justice Nathan Hecht praised Collin and El Paso county judges and court admins for their hard work to clear court backlogs when he appeared Wednesday before the Texas House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee. Watch the video here:
#TXcourts
Chief Justice Nathan Hecht, Sr. Justice Debra Lehrmann, Justice Brett Busby, & Justice Evan Young helped kick off the 2023 State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting yesterday. The event continues today and Friday.
@JusticeLehrmann
is a keynote speaker on Friday.
@BrettBusby
@E_A_Young
Accepting the honor, Justice
@BrettBusby
said: "America provides an inspiring example of what a nation can accomplish under the rule of law, and I look forward to working with CAIL to share our rule-of-law values with legal and law enforcement professionals worldwide.”
CAIL NEWS: The Center for American and International Law welcomes Justice
@BrettBusby
, current justice of the
@SupremeCourt_TX
and a former justice of the 14th Court of Appeals of Texas, to its board.
Full announcement:
Behind the Bench: Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht sat down with
@KXAN_News
and
@RyanChandlerTV
to talk about justice in the State of Texas, from new specialty courts to remote proceedings, access-to-justice struggles, and the importance of an independent judiciary.
#scotx
#txlaw
The Supreme Court has granted the Attorney General's emergency motion for temporary relief, staying a lower court's order compelling depositions of senior OAG officials. The petition remains pending before the Court.
Find the orders here: