The State Bar of Texas Public Affairs Committee virtually presented the 2020 Texas Gavel Awards on Tuesday. Due to the pandemic, the awards were presented as part of an online ceremony with the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas annual awards. The Texas Gavel Awards awards recognize excellence in journalism that fosters public understanding of … Continue Reading
Investigations that examined intellectual disability and the death penalty in Texas and why so many sexual assault cases in one of the state’s largest counties went unpunished are among the winners of the 2020 Texas Gavel Awards. Journalists representing The Texas Tribune, Austin American-Statesman, and Austin’s NPR station—KUT 90.5, were selected as winners of the … Continue Reading
Do you know of a journalist deserving of recognition for excellence in reporting on legal issues? The State Bar of Texas Public Affairs Committee is accepting entries for the 2020 Texas Gavel Awards to recognize journalistic excellence that helps foster public understanding of the legal system, including investigative reporting that leads to improvements in the … Continue Reading
Kelsey Erickson, general counsel to Sen. Kirk Watson, and Katy Aldredge, capitol director for Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, are this year’s recipients of the James Madison Award presented by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. Erickson and Aldredge were chosen for their efforts to create and pass legislation that makes important repairs to Texas’ open … Continue Reading
Stories that examined how Texas judges are elected and showed how law enforcement agencies are using the Texas Public Information Act to withhold information about deceased suspects are among the winners of the 2019 Texas Gavel Awards. Journalists representing The Texas Tribune, KXAN-TV in Austin, KRIS-TV in Corpus Christi, Super Lawyers Magazine, and the Victoria Advocate were selected as winners. … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Public Affairs Committee announced it is seeking submissions for the 2019 Texas Gavel Awards, which honor outstanding journalism that fosters public understanding of the legal system. Entries published or broadcast during the 2018 calendar year will be accepted for print, broadcast, and online categories until 5 p.m. March 29. There is … Continue Reading
State Bar of Texas President Joe K. Longley and SBOT Public Affairs Committee Chair Rudy England welcomed journalists from around the state as winners of Texas Gavel Awards. The Texas Gavel Awards recognize excellence in journalism that fosters public understanding of the legal system; educates the public about the rule of law, the legal profession, … Continue Reading
The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas will award its prestigious James Madison Award to First Amendment attorney Laura Lee Prather. Prather is a board member and past-president of the FOI Foundation of Texas. She is a partner in the litigation section of Haynes and Boone LLP in Austin. The James Madison Award has been … Continue Reading
Submissions are being accepted for the 2018 Texas Gavel Awards! The awards recognize excellence in print, broadcast, or online journalism that educates the public about the rule of law, the legal profession, and the judicial branch of government; and discloses practices or procedures needing correction to improve the practice of law, the courts, or the justice … Continue Reading
The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas and the State Bar of Texas on Thursday honored some of 2016’s best examples of watchdog journalism. The awards were presented at the FOI Foundation’s state conference in Austin. The Dallas Morning News and the Corpus Christi Caller-Times won the Spirit of FOI Award for reports exposing problems … Continue Reading
Champions of open government lamented incremental, compounding wounds to the Texas Public Information Act and suggested at the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas’s annual conference Thursday that state legislators need to step in to stop the bleeding. Jay Root, a reporter for The Texas Tribune, stated it plainly, calling the act “broken and taking … Continue Reading
Wanda Garner Cash, a veteran Texas newswoman and educator who has long fought for the public’s right to know, will receive the 2016 James Madison Award presented by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. The award is given to individuals who demonstrate outstanding commitment to upholding the principles of the First Amendment and open … Continue Reading
An updated version of a documentary on the debate over the role of race in college admissions is set to air at 10 p.m. tonight on KLRU-TV in Austin. Admissions on Trial: Seven Decades of Race and Higher Education, which won a State Bar of Texas Gavel Award in 2014, examines the history of race … Continue Reading
Attention journalists: There’s still time to submit your work for the 2016 Texas Gavel Awards. The State Bar of Texas is accepting entries in the print, broadcast, and online categories until 5 p.m. April 1. There is no entry fee. Texas Gavel Awards honor outstanding journalism that fosters public understanding of the legal system. The … Continue Reading
