Courts on Fire is dedicated to educating Texans about the deterioration of Texas' out-of-balance justice system. The right wing has almost succeeded in slamming shut the doors of justice, passing laws that restrict citizens' access to the courts. [Learn More]
Texas Monthly’s executive senior editor, Paul Burka, blasts the court system
October 31st, 2008
Sometimes the words just speak for themselves:
“The all-Republican Texas Supreme Court is an intellectually corrupt court. By this I mean that it is infused with the appearance of impropriety and inequity. Who you are matters more than the law and the facts. It has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Texans for Lawsuit Reform. It [...]
It’s time to make your choice
October 30th, 2008
We’ve spent a lot of time talking about the Texas Supreme Court. You know the facts. The court rules against consumers and in favor of big corporations and insurance companies 87% of the time. The court issues anonymous rulings that are the antithesis of open government. The justices take money from [...]
Racism, Corruption, Guilty Pleas and Texas Courts
October 23rd, 2008
This week Houston homebuilder Robert Perry, who gave more than $260,000 in cash to Texas Supreme Court judges, paid for a racist mailing in Pasadena attacking a candidate for the Texas House. The mailing shows a tree full of black crows and fuzzy, ominous pictures of Barack Obama and minority office holders surrounding candidate Joel [...]
T. Boone Supports Lawsuit Reform for Others, But Not for Himself
October 21st, 2008
The Texans for Lawsuit Reform have been working for years to limit the rights of average Texans to seek and get relief in Texas courthouses. Their second largest contributor over the past three years has been none other than T. Boone Pickens. In that time period he has given TLR an even $1,000,000 [...]
The Entergy rehearing: The good news and the bad news…and more bad news
October 17th, 2008
Yesterday, the Texas Supreme Court held a very rare rehearing on a case they had already decided, Entergy v Summers. If you remember this was a case where the Texas Supreme Court ruled that contract employees couldn’t sue the company that owns a work site because of a workers comp law that said employees [...]
Kenneth Law Thinks Justice Should Be Mute, But Not Blind
October 14th, 2008
Justice Kenneth Law is at it again. Yesterday we discussed how he has a reputation for being lazy and unable to correctly apply the law. His participation in a decision that money laundering with a check is okay in the DeLay-Colyandro case only reinforces the idea that justice isn’t blind in his court, [...]
The Judicial Crisis
October 13th, 2008
Five federal judges are under investigation. Add in the list of Texas judges with legal and ethical difficulties and we see that the judiciary in Texas and the nation are in the midst of an ethical meltdown. Has the crisis been caused by dominant one-party rule across all branches of government?
In Texas, voters elect their [...]
Meet Kenneth Law: the Laziest, Most Ineffective Judge on the 3rd Court of Appeals
October 13th, 2008
You remember Kenneth Law don’t you? He’s the Chief Justice for the Third Court of Appeals. He’s currently got a criminal and ethics complaints filed against him for violating the Texas Election Code during the course of this election. He was also a judge on the panel who took two years to [...]
Texas Watch Video Highlights the Lows of the Texas Supreme Court
October 2nd, 2008
The folks at Texas Watch have put together a video that highlights the problems that we’ve been talking about with the Texas Supreme Court.
It highlights their rulings against consumers, their secretive decision-making and their lazy work habits all in a funny three minute video. We have a chance in November to restore some balance [...]
Texas Supreme Court Takes on New Role of Crime Solving Detectives
October 1st, 2008
These days, the Texas Supreme Court is pretty busy raising money from the insurance companies, business groups and corporations that have cases before them. In fact, all that fundraising has kept them from getting much work done.
They did have time, however, to play the role of crime solver. In San Antonio, a moviegoer name Luis [...]
Texas Supreme Court Takes Time From Fundraising to Issue First Decisions
September 29th, 2008
In Texas, a new fiscal year starts on September 1. So state agencies started their new work year nearly a month ago. The Texas Supreme Court continued to take a leisurely approach to justice, issuing its first opinions last Friday, nearly four weeks into the new fiscal year. But considering that the [...]
Justice DeLayed
September 24th, 2008
Texans are still living the ethical, political and economic nightmares left to us by former U.S. Rep Tom DeLay. Now, there’s a fast-growing DeLay-related scandal darkening the already tainted reputation of Texas judges. Texas courts are dominated by the same special interests who purchased the legislature and the governor’s mansion — homebuilders like Bob Perry, [...]
Texas Courts On Fire: End the Corruption
September 23rd, 2008
“The dark shadow of corruption of our judicial system hangs over this case,” Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle said Monday, referring to the Texas 3rd Court of Appeals opinion that Tom DeLay’s money launderers didn’t really launder money because they used checks. Drug dealers throughout the state can rejoice. Turn those street dollars into [...]
Statesman: Texas Supreme Court Bad and Wrong
September 8th, 2008
The Texas Supreme Court was wrong and should reverse its decision that injured contract workers cannot seek justice against a plant owner who hired them, the Austin American Statesman editorial board writes.
They are right. The ruling came in the Entergy v. Summers case, the court will soon hear formal arguments from workers groups and others [...]
Texas Courts: Like the Mob-Bought Judges in the Movies
September 5th, 2008
The problem with absolute one-party rule — command of the legislative, executive and judicial branches by one political party — is its quick and certain transition to mafia-like corruption. The further problem is the corruption becomes so massive, so widespread and so common, that it ceases to be news. It’s just the way things are. [...]
The Corruption of Texas Courts
September 3rd, 2008
The Houston Chronicle’s Rick Casey today reports how state Rep. Larry Taylor, R- Friendswood, a recipient of $20,000 in the infamous 2002 Tom DeLay/Tom Craddick campaign money laundering scheme, subsequently passed a bill an all-GOP judicial panel is now using to justify tossing out criminal indictments against the conspirators.
When an Austin appeals court recently issued [...]
Texas Supreme Court
August 15th, 2008
A complaint against Texas Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht took a step forward Thursday when the state ethics commission decided to hold a formal hearing over the judge’s failure to report about $100,000 in donated legal services.
Supreme Court Judge Faces Ethics Probe
August 15th, 2008
Texas Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht appeared before the state ethics commissionin a probe of legal fee discounts given him by a law firm that practices before the court.
Hecht was sanctioned in 2006 by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, which alleged that he had abused his office by promoting Harriet Miers for a seat [...]
Supreme Court justice defends self at hearing
August 14th, 2008
Supreme Court Justice Nathan Hecht, appearing before the Texas Ethics Commission, defended himself Thursday against allegations he broke campaign finance laws by accepting discounted legal fees to fight an abuse of office complaint.
Texas Supreme Court’s Fake Family Law “Opinions”
July 28th, 2008
As reported by The Jefferson Blog, the Texas Supreme Court is padding its opinion totals by issuing one-line per curiam opinions. The latest batch say little more than that they’re not going to here issues about termination of parental rights.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Urges GOP Vote Effort
July 25th, 2008
Claiming he wants to invest the people with power, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice urges a strong Republican get-out-the-vote effort. His argument is more like, “Power to the Right Kind of People Only.”
Texas Courts and what a child is worth
July 23rd, 2008
Houston Chronicle columnist Rick Casey today discusses Texas Courts’ historical price-tagging of the lives of our children. It’ll make your throat tighten up and your stomach turn.
Bob Perry: building homes and candidacies
July 20th, 2008
Nationally, Houston home builder Bob Perry is best known for contributing almost $4.5 million to the swift boat ad campaign that helped sink Democrat John Kerry’s 2004 presidential bid.
Texas Supreme Court wrong on ‘demon’ case
July 1st, 2008
It is one thing for the Texas Supreme Court to be wary when it comes to religious issues. It is altogether another for the court to deny a claim of serious misconduct because it doesn’t wish to be entangled in a religious controversy.
Texas Supreme Court rules church can’t be sued in exorcism
June 28th, 2008
A divided Texas Supreme Court ruled in favor of a former Colleyville church Friday, saying church members who were involved in a traumatic exorcism that ultimately injured a young woman are protected by the First Amendment.
Texas Supreme Court reverses $800,000 verdict vs. Providence
June 1st, 2008
The Texas Supreme Court has thrown out a McLennan County jury’s award of $800,000 to the parents who sued a Waco hospital system after their 21-year-old son committed suicide 33 hours after a mental health evaluation.
Texas Supreme Court reverses $800,000 verdict vs. Providence
June 1st, 2008
The Texas Supreme Court has thrown out a McLennan County jury’s award of $800,000 to the parents who sued a Waco hospital system after their 21-year-old son committed suicide 33 hours after a mental health evaluation.
Big Pharma’s buddies
May 31st, 2008
Carol Ernst, whose 59-year-old husband Bob died of heart problems after taking the drug Vioxx for nine months, must be wondering what it takes to win a verdict in a damages suit these days.
Watchdogs question lawyer’s assistance to Medina’s wife
May 28th, 2008
A prominent Houston lawyer whose firm is involved in a major asbestos liability case before the Texas Supreme Court helped Justice David Medina’s wife obtain bail after she was indicted earlier this month on arson and related charges.
Texas courts’ credibility problem
May 9th, 2008
The reputation of our state’s judiciary has been tarnished for years. As then-state Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Phillips told the Legislature all the way back in 2001, when judges owe their jobs to an electoral system dominated by political parties and big campaign donors, their judicial objectivity comes into question.
Texas Supreme Court overturns Mansfield couple’s award against homebuilder
May 3rd, 2008
The Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday in favor of Houston homebuilder Bob Perry, the state’s most prolific campaign contributor, in a case homeowner advocates say reflects the influence of big money over elected judges.
Court should reverse self for workers’ sakes
May 1st, 2008
The Texas Supreme Court has agreed to reconsider its ruling that gave companies new protection from liability for injuries to workers on their property who are not their employees. The court should reverse its earlier ruling because it has misapplied state law and given plant owners less incentive to maintain safe workplaces.
Texas Supreme Court: Moving at a Snail’s Pace
March 19th, 2008
Remember Bob and Jane Cull and their 10-year battle with Houston homebuilder Bob Perry over their problem-plagued home? Of course you don’t. Apparently, the Texas Supreme Court doesn’t either.
Cases piling up before justices
January 27th, 2008
At a time when the Texas Supreme Court’s case backlog has reached record levels, Justice Paul Green was spending Friday driving to Corpus Christi to speak to a group of appeals lawyers.”It’s 40 (degrees) and raining and I’m driving four hours to Corpus Christi,” Green said from his cell phone. “Yes, I’ve got stuff to [...]