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Krista Torralva

Krista Torralva covers pro bono, public service, and diversity matters in the Texas legal market.

Krista Torralva

Krista Torralva covers pro bono, public service, and diversity for the Texas Lawbook Foundation and The Texas Lawbook. Previously, she covered courts for The Dallas Morning News. Krista has spent the bulk of her decade-plus-long career covering criminal courts in Texas and Florida. Her reporting includes the high profile federal terrorism trial against the Pulse nightclub shooter’s widow in Orlando, which ended in a rare acquittal. Her civil courts coverage has included the long-winding Texas voter ID lawsuit, legal battles over local Covid-19 mandates and school board disputes. Krista's work has been recognized by the State Bar of Texas' Gavel Awards, the Texas Association Press Managing Editors, the National Headliner Awards program and various local chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists.

The daughter of a Naval officer, Krista grew up traveling every few years but calls Corpus Christi home and talks about the Texas Gulf Coast every chance she gets. She lives in Dallas’ North Oak Cliff with her husband, Fares Sabawi.

Krista graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington.

Fifth Circuit Weighs Legality of Government’s Mandatory Immigration Detention Policy 

As federal district courts across the country grapple with a surge of lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s approach to detaining noncitizens without bond, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit appears poised to side with the government. A three-judge panel heard arguments Tuesday in consolidated Texas cases, and questions from Judges Edith H. Jones and Stuart Kyle Duncan suggested support for the government’s interpretation of immigration law. Judge Dana M. Douglas’ questions, by contrast, appeared to be at odds with her colleagues.

Former immigration judge Daniel H. Weiss, who listened to the hearing, said he expects a 2-1 decision in the government’s favor. 

Krista Torralva

Texas Federal Courts are Largely Rejecting Administration’s New Interpretation of Immigration Detention Law

Federal district court judges in Texas — from across the political spectrum — are rejecting the Trump administration’s reinterpretation of immigration law in order to detain immigrants without the opportunity to seek bond while they contest the government’s attempts to deport them, even if they’ve lived in the U.S. for decades and have no criminal record. 

One case is headed for review before a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Tuesday morning.

At least one U.S. district judge in El Paso is urging lawyers in related habeas corpus cases to be prepared for dispositive hearings following the Fifth Circuit panel’s decision, saying his court has been receiving up to 25 such cases each week.

Krista Torralva

‘To the Gates of Hell’ One Dallas Lawyer Was Willing to Go in Federal Habeas Fight Over ICE Detention

Charles Gearing felt an itch last summer to get more involved in pro bono work. The healthcare litigation lawyer at Weaver Johnston Nelson in Dallas found a project that advertised a limited scope — helping detained noncitizens apply for bond — that seemed like work that required less lawyering than sleuthing and logistical hustle, or so Gearing thought. He took on the case of Pedro Romo Navarro, a Mexican citizen living in Dallas for the past three decades who was facing deportation after being stopped by police for riding a bicycle without a front light.

What began as a seemingly simple bond request plunged Gearing into a nationwide legal and political controversy over the detention of longtime U.S. residents with no criminal records, often for months at a time in unsanitary facilities and without the opportunity for a bond hearing. Lawyers argue that these detentions violate the Immigration and Nationality Act and constitutional due process rights.

Krista Torralva

Legal Aid Feels ‘Death by a Thousand Cuts’ After Latest Funding Loss 

A 3.6 percent funding cut approved by the U.S. Senate for the Legal Services Corporation — the federal nonprofit that funds legal aid organizations nationwide — will result in an estimated $1.9 million loss for Texas, marking yet another setback for legal aid providers after a year of repeated funding reductions, advocates said.

“It’s been death by a thousand cuts,” said Betty Torres, executive director of the Texas Access to Justice Foundation, which also supports the state’s three major organizations: Lone Star Legal Aid, Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas and Texas RioGrande Legal Aid. Advocates remain grateful that funding continues for LSC, which had been on the chopping block after President Donald Trump proposed eliminating it entirely.  

Krista Torralva

‘Put on this Earth to Serve:’ Award Honoree Shannon Cagnina Helped Pass Trey’s Law, Camp Safety Legislation

Shannon Cagnina, general counsel for Phillips Enterprises, is being honored with a 2025 Corporate Counsel Award for her pro bono and public service work on Trey’s Law and Texas camp safety legislation. Cagnina’s humility and faith-driven commitment to service have made her a quiet force behind reforms that are already reshaping protections for abuse survivors and camp goers.

Krista Torralva

‘Life is a Team Sport,’ Says Toyota’s Scott Young

Toyota Managing Counsel Scott Young is being honored with a 2025 Corporate Counsel Award for Achievement in Pro Bono and Public Service in recognition of his lifelong commitment to service, shaped by his upbringing and early humanitarian work. Alongside major legal leadership roles at Toyota, including transformative development and manufacturing projects, Young has led and expanded the company’s pro bono efforts, providing legal assistance to vulnerable communities. 

Krista Torralva

Pro Bono Work Can be a Bulwark Against Burnout, Business Litigator Says in Return to Practice

There was a point in Jeffrey Price’s litigation career when he got a bad case of burnout. He left both his job and Dallas, ultimately turning to volunteer work with The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program, where he represented former military service members before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. After more than a year of volunteering, Price joined the National Veterans Legal Services Program as an appellate attorney. It was through pro bono work on behalf of veterans that Price found the sense of purpose he had sought. Now, Price is returning to business litigation, joining Stinson as of counsel with a renewed perspective on the profession and a continued commitment to veterans pro bono work. He also hopes to encourage fellow lawyers to seek out pro bono opportunities that genuinely resonate — something he believes might have helped prevent his own burnout had he done so earlier. 

Krista Torralva

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