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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.  February 4, 2026Krista Torralva
Exxon Added to Unfair Competition Suit - In an amended complaint filed Monday with the Texas Business Court, Clean Hydrogen Works has added Exxon Mobil as a defendant in an antitrust and unfair competition suit. Exxon’s affiliate Denbury Carbon Solutions filed a motion for partial summary judgment last week. February 4, 2026Alexa Shrake
Paul Weiss To Open Houston Office with Longtime M&A Dealmakers - Paul Weiss announced Tuesday that it has found the lawyers needed to open and run a new office in Houston, both from Kirkland & Ellis. February 3, 2026Jason Philyaw
Ganjei Confirmed as SDTX Judge - The U.S. Senate confirmed Nicholas Ganjei, who was the acting U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas, to a lifetime federal judgeship in Houston Tuesday. He succeeds retired Judge Lynn H. Hughes. February 3, 2026Alexa Shrake
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. February 3, 2026Krista 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. February 3, 2026Krista Torralva
Groundhog Day: More Competition for Texas Talent - Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow and the first week of February has seen at least 20 business lawyers in Texas on the move, including a new Oil & Gas co-chair at Baker Botts. February 3, 2026Brooks Igo

Centerpiece

Dallas Dealmaker Co-Leads Earth-Shattering $1.25T SpaceX Merger - Texas-based SpaceX has acquired xAI to scale their combined operations “to make a sentient sun to understand the universe and extend the light of consciousness to the stars” in a record-setting transaction. In what would be the largest merger of all time, the deal was co-led by a Dallas lawyer from Gibson Dunn. February 3, 2026Jason Philyaw & Mark Curriden
Melsheimer, Stodghill Lead Nine-Partner Litigation Team to King & Spalding - Prominent Dallas trial lawyer Tom Melsheimer, long-time law partner Steven Stodghill and seven other litigation partners from Winston & Strawn started their new positions as partners at King & Spalding in Dallas today. “I was on top of the mountain with Winston,” Melsheimer told The Texas Lawbook. “But then I saw another mountain. King & Spalding made an offer that I could not say no to, so I didn’t. King & Spalding understands that this is a war for the best talent because the best talent attracts the best clients. King & Spalding is in it to win this war.” February 3, 2026Mark Curriden

Expert Voices

My Five Favorite (True Crime) Books: Natalie LeVeck (Senior Counsel at Google/YouTube) - When I was asked to write about my five favorite books, I initially shuddered at the idea of admitting to my law colleagues that I have a long-standing (and deeply ingrained) obsession with true crime. But after a quick dive into statistics about the popularity of true crime shows, films, and podcasts — particularly among women in my age range — I felt a little less exposed. Maybe what started for me in middle school, watching Dateline with my family, isn’t quite as niche as I once thought. February 4, 2026Natalie LeVeck
How Businesses Can Protect Insurance Claims After Winter Storm Fern - Winter Storm Fern left a historic trail of damage across more than 30 states, affecting an estimated 230 million Americans. With a predicted six more weeks of winter ahead, property owners face a critical window to protect both their physical assets and their legal rights to insurance recovery. This guide outlines essential actions for business owners navigating the aftermath of Winter Storm Fern. February 2, 2026Carlton D. Wilde III

More Stories

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Stories You Might’ve Missed

  • The Legacy of Pennzoil v. Texaco 40 Years Later — The Civil Jury Trial of the Century - Pennzoil v. Texaco's legacy remains significant, as it changed how companies handle mergers and acquisitions, caused the Chamber of Commerce to designate Texas as a judicial hellhole in 1986 and directly led to two decades of massive tort reform efforts that dramatically limited the rights of Texans to sue businesses, doctors and insurance companies for wrongdoing. It also launched Texas trial lawyer Joe Jamail to national stardom and made him the richest trial lawyer in American history. In this in-depth article, The Texas Lawbook provides a detailed timeline of the events involved in the historic litigation, as well as comments from more than a dozen lawyers about the legal strategies employed. November 18, 2025Mark Curriden & Alexa Shrake

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