Editor’s Note: The State Bar of Texas is providing this collection of important links, blog posts, and media stories to keep its members and the public informed of the latest news and resources related to the novel coronavirus outbreak and its impact on the legal community.
Important links
State Bar of Texas Coronavirus Legal Resources Page — Texasbar.com/coronavirus
State Bar of Texas Coronavirus Public Resources Page — Texasbar.com/COVIDHelp
Texas Lawyers’ Assistance Program Well-being Resources page — Texasbar.com/remote-well-being
Texas jury trials to resume this summer under experimental program — Jury trials won’t resume in Texas on a wide scale until Aug. 1, but in the meantime, the Texas judiciary will authorize some trial judges to hold experiments with conducting jury trials either in-person or remotely. (Subscription required) — Texas Lawyer
Keeping jurors six feet apart is a challenge for courts to reopen — Many courts are installing Plexiglass “sneeze barriers” and instituting face-mask requirements for litigants and court staff. But one especially vexing problem remains: how to bring back the jury and where to put them. — Bloomberg
Texas Supreme Court: Lack of immunity to coronavirus alone isn’t enough for mail-in ballot — Although the court sided with state Attorney General Ken Paxton’s interpretation of what constitutes a disability, it indicated that it is up to voters to assess their health and determine if they meet the state’s definition. — The Texas Tribune
Commentary: Tips on taking good remote depositions from a veteran court reporter — I decided to investigate and discovered Zoom couldn’t be easier to use. It provides the most “real” experience of the video conferencing and software programs I’ve seen. — Disputing blog
Tips for divorce lawyers during the COVID-19 pandemic — Pandemics and world crises are not opportunities for gamesmanship. Advise your clients to review and abide by existing court orders. (Subscription required) — Texas Lawyer
Ten thousand Texas prisoners approved for parole sit behind bars amid coronavirus pandemic — As other prisons release inmates to slow the spread of COVID-19 in jails and prisons, Texas politicians resist calls to do the same. — The Dallas Morning News
What you can do now to help protect your business in post-Covid-19 litigation — There will be lots of litigation related to Covid-19, including claims related to antitrust, deceptive advertising and price gouging. — Columbus Business First
Why the small business rescue program has slowed way down — There was a mad dash for the first, $349 billion round of PPP money, which was gone in 13 days. This second round, of $310 billion, is going much more slowly, and still has more than $140 billion left one month later. — NPR
Commentary: Should COVID-19 status be a protected classification? — People who have recovered from COVID-19 already face significant disadvantages, even if they have fully recuperated from the virus. — Above the Law
The first COVID-19 MAE trial is on! Forescout v. Advent in July in Chancery Court — We will know by Aug. 6 whether the COVID-19 pandemic provides justification for a private equity purchaser to walk away from a billion-dollar deal to acquire a company whose fortunes have declined since the virus struck. — Reuters
LA sues California company, alleging ‘sophisticated’ COVID-19 fraud — The city attorney of Los Angeles announced Wednesday that his office is suing Wellness Matrix Group for allegedly engaging in a “fraudulent scheme” related to the COVID-19 pandemic that was both “sophisticated” and “wide ranging.” — NPR
Revenue sharing poses potential roadblock to MLB restarting, sports lawyers say — Sports lawyers say Major League Baseball likely has the most delicate off-the-field legal and contractual issues to iron out before the teams can play ball. — ABA Journal
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