U.S. Courts

The Supreme Court Will Decide if North Texas Can Take Oklahoma's Water

With North Texas' population exploding and near-perennial drought seeming more and more like a certainty rather than a fluke, state water planners have been scrambling to secure new supplies, going further and further afield in search of waterways that haven't been tapped out. Several years ago, th ... More >>

Greg Abbott Wants To Make Texas' Interim (And Still Probably Unconstitutional) Redistricting Plan Permanent

As you may recall, Texas' 2011 plan to redraw political boundaries was so brazenly partisan, so undeniably bent on reducing minority influence, and the evidence was so mountainous and convincing that a federal court didn't even bother cataloging it all in its ruling against the state. "The parties h ... More >>

FBI: Convicted Mortgage Fraudster, Arlington Pizza Shop Owner, Tried to Bribe Federal Judge

Halid Amer played a small but significant role in the collapse of the housing market late last decade. He had help, to be sure, from slews of unqualified borrowers, overleveraged banks, absurdly loose credit and free-handed monetary policy, but it was the actions of Amer and people like him that mad ... More >>

Wendy Reves' $400 Million Collection Belongs to the Dallas Museum of Art, Judge Affirms

In 1985, the Dallas Museum of Art accepted one of the largest gifts in the institution's history: more than 1,400 pieces by Van Gogh, Renoir, Cezanne, Degas, and others from the personal collection of Wendy Reves, collectively valued at more than $400 million. A quarter century later and four years ... More >>

Appeals Court Says Planned Parenthood Can Be Banned From the Women's Health Program, Rick Perry Rejoices

Texas' game of women's health pingpong continues. A panel of judges from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a preliminary injunction yesterday that had allowed Planned Parenthood to remain in the Medicaid Women's Health Program. In other words, PP is out. Again. The nonprofit was boote ... More >>

Farmers Branch Gets A Rehearing Before Appeals Court on Immigration Law

A controversial Farmers Branch immigration ordinance will get a second chance in court after a sound rejection back in March, and the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on Arizona's controversial immigration bill will play a determining role. Farmers Branch has three times passed a "housing" ordinance whi ... More >>

TransCanada Can Move Ahead With Texas Portion of Pipeline, But the Fight Isn't Over

Earlier this month, three East Texas hamlets with a collective population of fewer than 2,000 souls filed suit in a federal court in Oklahoma City to halt construction of the southern half of The International Pipeline Formerly Known as Keystone XL. The Keystone was to be a massive piece of infrastr ... More >>

In Farmers Branch Immigration Fight, Competing Readings of Supreme Court's Arizona Ruling

Opposing counsel in a six-year legal battle over a proposed Farmers Branch immigration ordinance are trading letters to the judge, arguing, naturally, that the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling on Arizona's immigration law supports their side. Last month, the high court struck down every provision of Ari ... More >>

Johnson County Landowners Accuse Chesapeake Energy of Skimming Shale Gas Royalties

A family of Johnson County landowners is suing Chesapeake, the country's second-largest natural gas company, for allegedly cheating them out of royalties. Their lawyer, Dallas-based attorney James Holmes, says they can thank endlessly indulgent Texas laws and a taxing authority more inclined to look ... More >>

Farmers Branch Has Spent Five Years and Millions of Dollars Trying to Keep Out Mexicans. Is It Time for a Truce?

Welcome Back, Jim Crow

New laws in dozens of states could take out Barack Obama this fall.

Cabbies' Suit Against Dallas and It's Love Field Line-Cutting Rule Tossed Out of Court

Sure, it goes against everything we learned in elementary school -- cut in line and suffer ridicule and a knuckle to the shoulder -- but it turns out the city of Dallas has every right to allow compressed natural gas-powered taxis to queue-jump at Love Field to improve air quality, U.S. District Jud ... More >>

American Cancer Society Gets To Keep Donations to Cattle Baron's Ball From Oil and Gas Fraudsters

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a federal district court's order forcing the American Cancer Society to return some $240,000 donated by Irving-based Giant Operating, an oil and gas company the Security and Exchange Commission says defrauded investors of more than $13 million. The ... More >>

After Judge Keeps County's Suit Against Mortgage Processer in Dallas, a Nudge to Settle

​It's been close to five months since Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins went after Mortgage Electronic Registration System over what Watkins claimed were "tens of millions in uncollected filing fees owed to the citizens of Dallas County." But since then little has been said about the s ... More >>

As Promised, Texas AG, Paul Clement Have Asked Supreme Court to Stay Court's New Maps

​Yesterday we gave you the heads-up: Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has brought in former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement to try to throw out what they claim are the federal court's "unlawful redistricting maps." And, right on cue, they've filed their emergency stays with the U.S. Supreme ... More >>

Paul Clement's To-Do List Just Got Longer As He Tries to Toss Texas's Redistricting Maps

​On Wednesday we got our first look at the new-look Texas maps drawn by the court, which is attempting to rectify the U.S. Department of Justice's concerns that the state Legislature is attempting to keep Hispanics from voting for Hispanic candidates, especially in Dallas-Fort Worth. To which Texa ... More >>

Occupy Dallas Can Stay Put, Temporarily and Conditionally, Pending a Hearing on Monday

Photo by Chris Howell​This afternoon, U.S. District Judge David Godbey helped City Hall and Occupy Dallas come to a verbal agreement that protestors can not only keep camping outside City Hall, but can also use City Hall restrooms and keep their current signage -- two issues disputed in the te ... More >>

U.S. Supreme Court Rules Dallas County's Appeal in Fight Over Voting Machines is "Moot"

​This morning, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a very confusing ruling in the case involving Dallas County's voting machines -- a case, you'll recall, that stemmed from Linda Harper-Brown's 19-vote victory over Democrat Bob Romano in 1998. Long story short: The Texas Democratic Party (represent ... More >>

With One Day Left to Save Attacker, Bhuiyan's Case Goes to the Media ... and Federal Court

Behind the counter at the Pleasant Grove convenience store following the September 2001 shooting of Rais Bhuiyan by Mark Stroman​Tomorrow, the steady stream of stories about Rais Bhuiyan's attempt to save Mark Stroman -- the man who shot Bhuiyan in the face and killed two other men in the days fo ... More >>

Unintended Consequences, or: How Our John Wiley Price Reporting Helped Birth a Bad Bill

​Our coverage of the Inland Port scandal in Dallas may yet produce some new federal law. If it does, I don't think it's going to be anything we will be bragging about. Yesterday Wilonsky posted a 2-year-old deposition he found on the website of embattled Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley ... More >>

While We Wait for Election Returns, Look at NY Times's Front-Page Story About Harlan Crow

Photo by Brian HarkinHarlan Crow​I'm killing time at this point ... and this bottle of Old Fitzgerald. And while we wait for the county to update its election totals, I'm reading tomorrow's New York Times, which is full of local-interest stories -- more than our own daily, probably. Like this nice ... More >>

Fantasy Voter Fraud

The Curious Price-Fixing Case of Kay's Kloset Makes a Return to the Supreme Court

Harvard prof Einer Elhauge ​A couple of years back we noted that the price-fix was back in, thanks in large part to a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that eventually put a Flower Mound business out of business. Perhaps you recall that case: Leegin Creative Leather Products, Inc. v. Kay's Kloset -- ... More >>

Just Because Supreme Court Passes on PISD-Off Parents' Appeal Doesn't Mean This is Over

​At this late date is there really any reason to go back and retell the tale of the Ghost of War on Christmas Past? You remember this, right? Kids at Plano Independent School District elementary schools pass out "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" pencils and Christian-flavored candy canes amongs ... More >>

Judge Won't Dismiss Love Field Guard's Defamation Suit Against Radio Host

Rickey Smiley​Back in May, we directed your attention to the legal woes of Henry Robinson, a former Love Field security guard who claimed in Dallas federal court that The Beat-97.9 host Rickey Smiley cost him his job when he went questioned his heterosexuality. The whole thing stemmed from an inci ... More >>

Yet Again, AG Abbott Defends the Constitutionality of the Texas Pledge

​Remember when David and Shannon Croft sued the state because they didn't want their kids, then enrolled in the Carrollton-Farmers Branch school district, to recite the Texas Pledge of Allegiance? Yup. Totally forgot about that one. That was two long years ago -- back when the Crofts also sued the ... More >>

Ex-DISD Official Ruben Bohuchot Gets 11 Years In Prison

Seriously, Never Give an Employee the Company Credit Card. Like, Ever.

Don Hill's Genius Idea

We Aren't Marshall: Volkswagen Wants Case Moved to Dallas

FLDS Mothers Respond to State's Response in Texas Supreme Court

Man Who Sent Threats to News Editor and Federal Judge Gets 20 Years

Sam Lindsay to FB: Not Yet, Amigos.

U.S. District Judge Sam Lindsay Votes "No" on Farmers Branch Ordinance

O Holy Land Foundation

Paying the Piper

Legal bills mount as the county defends its failed jail health systems

The Backdating Scene

MADI About Alberto

Life After Death

Andre Lewis was eight hours from being executed, until the courts realized they had made a big mistake

Touchy Subject

Federal judge strikes down Dallas' two-rubs-and-you're-out rule for strip clubs

You Say Commie, I Say Nazi

Dallas judges really go for that government authority thing

Off the Killing Floor

Dallas-based Supreme Beef wins a major round in its court battle with the USDA

Impossible dreamer

Fearless reformer or legal terrorist? Bobby Wightman-Cervantes makes a run for the Senate. The Texas Bar says he should have his head examined.

Hash Over

Order in the cork

Dissed robes

Federal Judge John H. McBryde gets more than a slap on the wrist from his outraged brethren

Nice try

A troubled Dallas anti-poverty agency's end-run around state regulators goes nowhere

Star chamber II

John Henry McBryde's day of reckoning is at hand, but what that means is anybody's guess

Temper, temper

Judge John Henry McBryde ruled his court like a minor despot, angering lawyers and fellow judges. Now they're lined up to depose him, and the Constitution be damned.

Jurist imprudence

The search for a new federal judge reaches the lowest common denominator

A bittersweet deal

Sexual harassment charges against Sky Chefs are settled quietly, and reluctantly