courts

Harris County Stops Late Inmate Releases From Jail

By Anna Whitney Feb. 28, 2012

Though a bill requiring that county jails release inmates only during daylight hours didn't pass in the last legislative session, the Harris County Jail has implemented the policy. Full Story

Credit: Todd Spoth
Agency Will Investigate Violence in Youth Prisons

By Brandi Grissom Feb. 27, 2012

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department's independent ombudsman in a letter said she took seriously advocates' request for an investigation and that she would conduct a thorough study. She expects to produce a report within six months. Full Story

Credit: Jeff Heimsath
Texas Supreme Court Hands Victory to Landowners in Landmark Water Case

By Kate Galbraith Feb. 24, 2012

In a case with potentially vast implications for groundwater rules, the court has unanimously ruled in favor of two farmers in the San Antonio area who challenged a local aquifer authority's restrictions on their well use. Full Story
Texas Joins Lawsuit to Fight Contraceptive Rule

By Becca Aaronson Feb. 23, 2012

Texas has joined six other states and a handful of Catholic organizations in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a new health care rule approved by the federal government that would require all employers to include coverage for contraceptives in employees' health care benefits. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman / Esther Groen
UT/TT Poll: Economy, Border Issues Are Texans' Biggest Concerns

By Ross Ramsey Feb. 23, 2012

At the national level, voters are concerned about pocketbook issues, while at home immigration is the top problem. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
State Seeks Gag Order in 1986 Murder Case

By Brandi Grissom Feb. 22, 2012

A Williamson County judge will consider silencing parties to the murder case against Mark Alan Norwood. He is charged with the 1986 beating death of Christine Morton, whose husband spent nearly 25 years in prison for the crime. Full Story

Credit: Spencer Selvidge
UT/TT Poll: Texans Split on Re-electing Perry

By Ross Ramsey Feb. 22, 2012

Gov. Rick Perry told us on Tuesday that he may run for re-election. Voters aren't sold, according to a new University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Evan Smith Feb. 18, 2012

Aaronson interactively charts the legal wrangling between Texas and the feds, Aguilar on what Obama's budget means for the border, Galbraith on congressional ambivalence about a wind tax credit, Grissom on cuts to crime victims services, Hamilton on UT-Austin's plan to boost graduation rates, Ramsey on our woefully low voter turnout, Ramshaw on a new Super PAC targeting incumbents of both parties, Root on conservative opposition to the Keystone pipeline and M. Smith on cash-starved school districts in the advertising game: The best of our best content from February 13-17, 2012. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
Investigation Sought Into Violence at Youth Prisons

By Brandi Grissom Feb. 16, 2012

A Tribune report on increasing youth-on-youth violence at Texas Juvenile Justice Department facilities has advocates calling for an investigation into systemic problems at the agency. Full Story

Credit: Jeff Heimsath
Crime Victims Services Bracing for Major Cuts

By Brandi Grissom Feb. 16, 2012

The Texas attorney general's office is advising agencies that serve crime victims to prepare for big cuts during the next budget cycle because of a severe shortfall projected for the state's crime victims fund. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman
Pipeline Companies Fighting for Property Rights

By Dave Fehling, Houston Public Media Feb. 13, 2012

The Texas Supreme Court could decide by this week whether it erred in allowing pipeline companies to force their way onto private land. As Dave Fehling of StateImpact Texas reports, the legal wrangling comes as drilling in the state is surging. Full Story

Credit: Dave Fehling / StateImpact Texas
State Seeking Room for Mentally Ill Inmates

By Brandi Grissom Feb. 2, 2012

A judge's expected ruling forcing the state to find room to treat mentally ill inmates is sending officials in search of space at already-full mental hospitals. Full Story

Credit: Todd Wiseman/The Texas Tribune
Williamson County Grand Jury Indicts Norwood

By Brandi Grissom Feb. 1, 2012

Mark Alan Norwood, a 57-year-old Bastrop resident, was indicted today by a Williamson County jury for the 1986 murder of Christine Morton, whose husband, Michael Morton, spent 25 years wrongly imprisoned for her death. Full Story

Credit: Spencer Selvidge
Breast Cancer Group Drops Support of Planned Parenthood

By Emily Ramshaw Jan. 31, 2012

The Dallas-based breast cancer prevention group Susan G. Komen for the Cure has halted its financial support of Planned Parenthood, yet another blow to the family planning organization that provides abortions in some of its clinics. Full Story

Credit: Eric Schlegel
Legal Dispute Leaves Poor Defendants in Limbo

By Gerald Rich Jan. 26, 2012

In rural Val Verde County, defendants who are too poor to afford their own lawyers have waited years for resolution of their cases. As a new legal battle between their lawyers and the county begins, their day in court remains elusive. Full Story
Consumer Group: High Court Favors Businesses

By Anna Whitney Jan. 26, 2012

A report out today from the consumer advocacy group Texas Watch blasts the Texas Supreme Court for a decade of decisions that favor corporate interests and benefit the rich at the expense of consumers. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Texas Watch / Todd Wiseman
Texas Supreme Court Moves Forward to Create Divorce Forms

By Anna Whitney Jan. 25, 2012

Despite the State Bar of Texas' suggestion to hold off on creating simple divorce forms, the Texas Supreme Court has decided not to halt the work of task force charged with creating forms that improve access to the courts for the poor. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
U.S. Supreme Court Won't Hear "Pole Tax" Case

By Emily Ramshaw Jan. 25, 2012

Nearly five years into a legal battle over the constitutionality of Texas' $5-per-patron strip club fee, the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to take up the adult entertainment industry's case against the state. Full Story

Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman / Thomas Hawk
Texas Lawyers Divided Over Divorce Forms

By Anna Whitney Jan. 24, 2012

The Texas Supreme Court is preparing to help out poor Texas couples who want to split up with a simple divorce form. But some family lawyers say breaking up is much harder to do. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman
TribWeek: In Case You Missed It

By Evan Smith Jan. 21, 2012

Root on the end of Rick Perry's presidential campaign, Murphy on what happens to his campaign cash, Ramsey on his next act, Ramshaw, Aaronson, Murphy, Chang and Seger interactively chart the rise and fall of his run, Aguilar talks Juárez violence with a documentary filmmaker, Galbraith on the tug-of-war over surface water, Grissom and Murphy on three decades of capital punishment in Texas, Hamilton and Aaronson on our workforce needs in 2018 and Tan on the state's much-reduced list of women's health clinics: The best of our best content from January 16-20, 2012. Full Story

Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman