Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury
In this edition of Asked & Answered, Kirkland & Ellis partner Kasdin Mitchell talks about getting to argue in the U.S. Supreme Court, where she once clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas, as well as her time before law school, working in the White House for First Lady Laura Bush. Her mother’s pursuit of a law degree inspired her own path.
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals heard arguments in disputes over taxes and trade secrets while at the Texas A&M School of Law in Fort Worth Thursday. One of the cases originated from the Texas Business Court.
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals held oral arguments at Texas A&M School of Law Thursday afternoon. Classes were canceled for first-year students to attend the oral arguments and watch the attorneys and justices in action.
Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday he has appointed the former solicitor general of Texas to serve as the newest member of the Texas Supreme Court. Kyle Hawkins, who most recently was a partner at Lehotsky Keller Cohn, will be filling the seat left vacant by former Justice Jeff Boyd, who left the court in September.
In this edition of Asked & Answered Crawford, Wishnew & Lang partner Haleigh Jones sat down with The Texas Lawbook to discuss her career, memorable cases and mentorship. Jones coaches the moot court team at Southern Methodist University, which she says she hopes to do for her whole career. The 2024 team won the American Bar Association competition.
Justice James P. Sullivan has interviewed to become a U.S. District Court Judge in Austin. It would be a fast track for Sullivan, who joined the Texas Supreme Court in January. Federal Magistrate Judge Dustin Howell also is said to be under consideration for the bench once held by Lee Yeakel.
Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones was ordered to pay $1.4 billion for defamation to the Sandy Hook shooting victims’ family members a decade after the shooting. His second attempt to avoid paying has been denied by the U.S. Supreme Court.
The justices fired off questions about olive oil, wine, banana bread and podiums in trying to suss out where the line should be drawn on what constitutes a product “made of tobacco or a tobacco substitute.” The decision on whether nicotine pouches can be taxed as a tobacco product could have wide implications as the popularity of the products continues to grow.
The U.S. Justice Department has asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to issue a stay of all proceedings involving the litigation between the Trump administration and four law firms, including Susman Godfrey, until the government shutdown is over.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard its first oral argument of the new term Monday with a case from Texas. The question presented was whether a trial court violated a defendant’s Sixth Amendment right to counsel by prohibiting discussions during an overnight recess.
The case turned on whether Texas or Mexico law applied to the issue of res judicata, which precludes parties from relitigating disputes once there’s been a final judgment on the merits. The Eighth Court of Appeals, in a 2-1 opinion, determined the trial court gets to decide which law applies and it was not incorrect in determining the litigation of a related suit in Juarez, Mexico, barred this one in El Paso under Texas law.
After more than a dozen years on the Texas Supreme Court, Justice Jeff Boyd is leaving his spacious office and balcony where the justices decompressed after sometimes-heated case conferences. The author of 72 majority opinions and 62 dissents is considering how he can educate the public about the need for judicial independence in an era of extreme political polarization. He reflected on his role as the court’s chief dissenter in a recent interview with The Texas Lawbook.
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