Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman announced her intent to resign effective June 11, 2021, to Gov. Greg Abbott. She is the court’s senior justice, having served for 22 years.… Continue Reading
The Texas Supreme Court on Wednesday issued its 38th Emergency Order of the COVID-19 pandemic. In it, the court permits the modification or suspension of court deadlines and procedures through August 1, 2021. The order permits all courts to hold in-person proceedings, including jury trials, after the adoption of health and safety standards, but encourages … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas will present its proposed fiscal year 2021-2022 budget to the Texas Supreme Court during a virtual meeting at 2 p.m. CDT on May 10. The State Bar will live stream the meeting at youtube.com/statebaroftexas. The proposed budget can be viewed at texasbar.com/finances or by clicking here. The State Bar published the proposed … Continue Reading
The State of the Judiciary Address by Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht will be broadcast online at noon on Tuesday, March 23. To watch, tune in at the State Judiciary website at txcourts.gov/soj.… Continue Reading
The Texas Supreme Court has ordered a hearing to consider proposed disciplinary rules amendments approved by licensed Texas lawyers in the referendum that ended March 4. The hearing will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on May 4 via videoconference. It will be broadcast on the court’s YouTube channel. The amendments’ proposed effective date is … Continue Reading
The Texas Supreme Court on Friday issued an emergency order permitting out-of-state attorney to practice Texas law temporarily due to legal assistance needed by Texans recovering from the recent winter storm. The State Bar of Texas legal access division has created a web page—probonotexas.org/uri—for in-state and out-of-state attorneys who would like to volunteer their time … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: The Texas Supreme Court issued the following advisory on March 5. In the 36th emergency order issued Friday responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Texas Supreme Court has removed requirements that all but certain proceedings be remote but encourages remote trials and hearings and gives local presiding judges authority to require masks for participants and … Continue Reading
Texas lawyers approved all eight proposed amendments to Texas’ disciplinary and procedural rules in a monthlong voting process that ended March 4. The Texas Supreme Court now may adopt or reject the proposals approved by the bar’s membership. Go here for election results and visit texasbar.com/rulesvote for details on the proposed amendments. … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: The following message was sent to all members on Friday, February 12. Dear Member, This message includes updated information related to the COVID-19 pandemic and other State Bar of Texas information. We hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. Supreme Court of Texas Emergency Order The Texas Supreme … Continue Reading
The Texas judiciary announced that the state’s judges have held over one million court hearings via Zoom. The milestone was reached after more than 2,000 state judges used the platform to host virtual proceedings since the pandemic began in March 2020. The one millionth Zoom hearing was held by Johnson County Court at Law Judge … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: The following message was sent to all members on February 5, 2021. Dear Member, This message includes updated information related to the COVID-19 pandemic and other State Bar of Texas information. We hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. Supreme Court of Texas Emergency Order The Supreme Court … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors will meet for its next quarterly meeting at 9 a.m. CST on January 22. Among items on the agenda, the board will receive: an update from the Committee on Disciplinary Rules and Referenda on the upcoming 2021 Rules Vote and committee activities; a report from the Discipline & … Continue Reading
Editor’s Note: The following message was sent to all members on Friday, January 15. Dear Member, This message includes updated information related to the COVID-19 pandemic and other State Bar of Texas information. We hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. Supreme Court of Texas Emergency Order and OCA Guidance … Continue Reading
Editor’s Note: The following message was sent to all members on January 5. Dear Member, This message includes updated information related to the COVID-19 pandemic and other State Bar of Texas information. We hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. Supreme Court of Texas Emergency Orders The Texas Supreme Court … Continue Reading
Editor’s Note: The Texas Supreme Court issued the following advisory on December 22. In an emergency order posted Tuesday, the Texas Supreme Court has extended deadlines for procedures for tenants and landlords under a statewide housing-assistance program intended to avoid evictions for tenants behind on rent. The Texas Eviction Diversion Program, announced in October, is … Continue Reading
Editor’s Note: State Bar of Texas Executive Director Trey Apffel sent the following message to members on December 18. I hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. I am writing to share information related to the COVID-19 pandemic and to remind you about the upcoming public forums on the 2021 … Continue Reading
Congratulations to everyone who passed the October 2020 bar exam! A virtual New Lawyers Induction Ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. CST on December 14. The public can watch the ceremony here.… Continue Reading
Editor’s note: The following message was sent to all members on Friday, November 13 regarding Supreme Court emergency orders and other items related to the pandemic. Dear Member, This message includes updated information related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. Supreme Court of Texas … Continue Reading
Rebeca Aizpuru Huddle became the newest justice of the Texas Supreme Court at a ceremony on October 30 at the Texas Supreme Court where Gov. Greg Abbott administered the oath. “This is a great day for the court because this court is adding an extremely illustrious member of the bar here in the state of … Continue Reading
The Texas Supreme Court, in an order issued on October 19, 2020, admitted J.H. Williams posthumously to the State Bar of Texas. Williams had petitioned for admission to the Texas Bar in December 1882 but ultimately had been denied admittance because he was a Black man.… Continue Reading
Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Rebeca Aizpuru Huddle, of Houston, to replace Texas Supreme Court Justice Paul Green, who retired on August 31, 2020. Huddle, an El Paso native, is currently a managing partner in the Houston office of Baker Botts. She was appointed by Gov. Rick Perry to the 1st Court of Appeals in Houston … Continue Reading
The State Bar of Texas Board of Directors voted September 25 to petition the Supreme Court to order a vote of bar members on proposed amendments to the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct and Texas Rules of Disciplinary Procedure, as provided by Tex. Govt. Code 81.0877. On September 29, the court issued an order … Continue Reading
Editor’s note: The following message concerning the COVID-19 pandemic and other State Bar updates was sent to all members on September 18. Dear Member, This message includes updated information related to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other State Bar updates. We hope this message finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. Supreme … Continue Reading
The “Lady Justice: Women of the Court” podcast will feature Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, Arkansas Supreme Court Justice Rhonda Wood, Chief Justice Bridget McCormack of Michigan, and Justice Beth Walker of West Virginia. In a press release, Justice Guzman describes the podcast as “an exciting opportunity to enhance the public’s understanding about the … Continue Reading
