Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury
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 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.
It’s really disappointing to realize the number of people who read for pleasure is continuing to decline – one recent study found by as much as 40% in the past 20 years – and despite research showing the positive effects of discretionary reading on our mental health, social capabilities and overall well-being. Those results may vary, but I still read 100 or more books annually and have for most of my adult life. In developing this list, which was much harder than I anticipated, I was struck by the fact that all are novels that were published more than 40 years ago -- while I generally read current mysteries, thrillers and non-fiction. Perhaps that only means that in my case a “favorite” made an impression as a young adult or even a child, and has stood that test of time.
The federal government has shut down for lack of funding for the first time in seven years. With lawmakers in a deadlock, it is uncertain when the shutdown will end. Federal workers will continue to be paid for two weeks.
In this week’s edition of P.S., we include coverage of two pro bono cases. First, SMU’s First Amendment Clinic and O’Melveny & Myers teamed up to secure a $290,000 settlement and a permanent injunction against mail censorship at a Texas jail. Second, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett joined a coalition of civil liberties groups in a new lawsuit challenging Ten Commandments Displays in Texas classrooms. In Dallas, the Hispanic Bar Association prepares to celebrate its 20th Anniversary Noche de Luz Gala. And, shoppers, get excited. Jewelry brand Kendra Scott and luxury clothing store St. John Dallas Boutique are each hosting benefit events to raise funds for legal aid services across Texas.
Taut testimony was heard from Dr. Phil McGraw Tuesday in the bankruptcy case of his Merit Street Media. He will continue testifying Thursday. The hearing that began Sept. 16 and has spanned several days is expected to end on Monday.
My reading habits have changed dramatically over the years. Where I once lingered over actual hard copy books late at night, these days I “read” mostly on the move. I now listen to my books, filling the hours I spend driving to/from work and after dropping of the kids for their many events. What might once have felt like idle time has become some of my most rewarding reading time, and I’ve grown to love how stories accompany me in the car. Much like my taste in music, my reading choices are eclectic and all over the place. I rarely stick to one genre or style, preferring instead to explore whatever captures my curiosity at the moment.
Court records and court hearings in the divorce case of Angela Paxton v. Ken Paxton should be open and available to the public, according to a motion filed late Tuesday by The Texas Lawbook and a half-dozen other news media companies, including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and the Houston Chronicle. In a 14-page plea intervention, the news organizations jointly ask Collin County District Court Judge Ray Wheless to reverse his earlier decision to seal the court records in the case, which pits Angela Paxton, a Texas state senator, against her husband of 38 years, Ken Paxton, who is the state’s attorney general and the highest-ranking regulator of businesses in Texas.
A former Texas Christian University student filed a lawsuit Wednesday with the Eastern District of Virginia claiming discrimination and gross malfeasance for how university officials handled her rape complaint. The anonymous student, going by Emily Doe, claims the university violated Title IX policies in how it handled her complaint.
Themes of self-determination, grit, speaking truth, and building self-esteem are prominent in my favorite reads, which starts with a landmark autobiography and ends with a children's book.
Publisher’s note: The Texas Lawbook is pleased to offer this new column in partnership with Texas-based Half Price Books sharing our readers’ favorite reads.
V&E, Kirkland and Gibson Dunn were among the advisors on the deal which secures a spot for Crescent among the top ten independent oil and gas producers in the region.
The updated law represents a major expansion of the Texas Telephone Solicitation Act's scope beyond traditional telephone calls, reflecting the evolving landscape of digital marketing communications. Certain businesses that send marketing text messages without registering face liability under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act as well as substantial penalties of $5,000 per individual text message that individual plaintiffs may recover. A federal court in the Eastern District of Texas last month awarded $170,000 to a single pro se plaintiff under the existing version of the statute for 34 phone calls.
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