Tag Archives: Wallace Jefferson

First redistricting lawsuit

Posted on September 2, 2021 by Charles Kuffner

Faster than a speeding bullet… The first volley in what is expected to be a fierce war over Texas redistricting kicked off Wednesday in the form of a federal lawsuit filed by two Democratic state senators who argue that state … Continue reading →

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No consensus on partisan judicial elections

Posted on December 31, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Even the Texas Commission on Judicial Selection can’t agree. There’s always been room for disagreement on the question of how to select judges in Texas. That won’t change in recommendations by the Lone Star State’s latest commission looking at the … Continue reading →

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Update on the “Judicial Selection Committee”

Posted on January 15, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Yes, this is a thing. All but one member of the new Texas Commission on Judicial Selection indicated at the group’s first meeting Thursday that they believe partisanship is problematic in the state’s method of selecting judges. Only Sen. Joan … Continue reading →

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Time again to talk judicial elections

Posted on February 11, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again, like it or not. In the wake of a midterm election that swept some 20 Republican appellate judges out of office, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Hecht called on the Texas Legislature to reform a … Continue reading →

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We’re still lousy at funding schools

Posted on May 11, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

In case you were wondering. Texas still ranks in the bottom third of states in spending per pupil in the U.S., with essentially no change in either amount or standing, a new study shows. The finding doesn’t help, and could … Continue reading →

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Once again to the Supreme Court for school finance

Posted on September 3, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Like deja vu all over again, and again and again and… The Texas Supreme Court is again faced with determining whether the state’s method of funding public schools is unconstitutional, the latest in a series of school finance challenges stretching … Continue reading →

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On succeeding, and defending, Ken Paxton

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Ross Ramsay: While Ken Paxton fights to avoid convictions and jail time on indictments alleging securities violations — and to keep his job as Texas attorney general — a muted and unofficial conversation about who will succeed him is already … Continue reading →

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On judicial elections and campaign finance

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Ross Ramsey raises an interesting point. It might seem silly to elect people who promise they won’t represent you, their political party or their donors, but that’s what we expect judges to do. They’re supposed to apply the law, and … Continue reading →

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State bar grievance filed against Paxton

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s getting to be hard to keep track of all of the complaints and legal actions being filed against the man who would be the state’s top lawyer. This one is a grievance filed with the State Bar of Texas … Continue reading →

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The money is the problem

Posted on May 11, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

A story of interest from North Carolina. The ad first appeared on television the Friday before last, a black-and-white spot charging that Justice Robin Hudson coddled child molesters and “sided with the predators” in a North Carolina Supreme Court dissent. … Continue reading →

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Wallace Jefferson is still going on about judicial elections

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

In an interview in The Atlantic, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson rides his favorite hobbyhorse of partisan judicial elections. I’ve been talking about this for a long time. And I am not the first one. Republican or Democrat … Continue reading →

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Wallace Jefferson to resign

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This is his last month. Wallace Jefferson, the first African-American to be chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court and one of the most respected jurists in the nation, is resigning his position effective Oct. 1. In an interview Monday, … Continue reading →

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Jefferson pushes for judicial reforms

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Most of what Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson had to say to the Lege during his biennial address was good stuff that I hope the Lege will heed. Presenting his State of the Judiciary speech to Texas lawmakers, … Continue reading →

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Henson removed from DeLay appeals case

Posted on August 7, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Score one for Team DeLay. Former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay has won a tactical victory with the removal of Justice Diane Henson, a Democrat, from his appeal. A motion to remove Henson was granted late Friday without comment … Continue reading →

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Will the last judge on the Third Court of Appeals please issue a ruling on Tom DeLay?

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

The way this is going, we may have to start importing judges from other states. Former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s appeal has taken an unexpected turn as three Republican justices removed themselves from his money laundering case in … Continue reading →

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Again with judicial elections

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Here we go again. Texas is one of seven states that holds partisan elections for judges, a practice that one watchdog group says can lead to conflicts of interest. “We have a judiciary at the highest level, the Texas Supreme … Continue reading →

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Court of inquiry appointed in Morton case

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Maybe now we’ll get some answers. A special court will examine whether Georgetown District Judge Ken Anderson acted improperly when, as Williamson County’s district attorney in 1987, he prosecuted Michael Morton for a murder the authorities now acknowledge he did … Continue reading →

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Rethinking school discipline

Posted on July 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Wow. Nearly 60 percent of junior high school and high school students get suspended or expelled, according to a report that tracked about 1 million Texas children over a six-year period. About 15 percent of the Texas seventh- through 12th-grade … Continue reading →

Posted in School days | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Texas Supreme Court dismisses voting machine lawsuit

Posted on July 7, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This came out late Friday. Dealing a blow to critics of electronic voting machines, the Texas Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a case brought by Travis County voters that alleged the machines were not secure or reliable. The machines “are … Continue reading →

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Perry gets to keep his secrets

Posted on July 2, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Quelle surprise. The Texas Supreme Court this morning ruled that details of Gov. Rick Perry’s travels can remain secret, overturning two lower court rulings that found travel vouchers filed by state troopers should be made public. In an opinion written … Continue reading →

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Credit where credit is due

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

State Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson calls on the Lege to protect legal aid funding. The budget crisis threatens to leave the state’s neediest without legal representation, Jefferson said, and even now “the courthouse door is closed to many … Continue reading →

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The effect of the “Citizens United” decision on judicial elections

Posted on February 7, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Republican attorney David Schenck makes the case in the Trib that the recent Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, which basically said that corporations could spend money as they saw fit in political campaigns, signals the imminent death … Continue reading →

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Public financing for judicial races

Posted on April 14, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

In addition to the other ethics and campaign finance reform bills that I mentioned previously, one other bill set to come up in committee hearings on Wednesday the 15th is HB3146 by Rep. Rafael Anchia, which would allow for the … Continue reading →

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There is a solution, you just don’t see it

Posted on March 12, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Sen. John Cornyn, apparently with some free time on his hands, takes his turn tackling the pernicious issue of Democrats winning judicial races – er, the problem of partisan judicial elections. I’ll give him credit for this much – he … Continue reading →

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If you’re going to reform it, reform it right

Posted on February 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I agree with State Supreme Court Justice Wallace Jefferson that the way we elect judges in Texas needs reform. I just don’t think he’s proposing a real fix for the problem he’s identified. Texas remains one of only seven states … Continue reading →

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