Adams A somber atmosphere dominated the Jefferson County Courthouse on Friday as employees returned to work for the first time following the Wednesday shooting.
Texas justices seated on the Ninth Court of Appeals rejected a vexatious litigant's writ of mandamus on Nov. 4, effectively keeping him from filing anymore lawsuits in Jefferson County.
Seven years ago, Southeast Texas trial lawyers blitzed the Jefferson County courthouse with a record 700 lawsuits in one month in response to Texas' tort reform laws passed in 2003.
Wortham Hoping to save money, time and rapidly shrinking storage space, Jefferson County Commissioners stressed the importance for all district courts to start implementing the e-filing system during a July 22 budget hearing.
Lawyers market themselves and their practices in all sorts of ways: from the more traditional, subtle approach like giving speeches to industry groups or writing articles to somewhat more "in your face" methods like television commercials in which they promise to get injured clients "maximum cash" and ride around in tanks.
After 15 years, Adele Vokolek, deputy clerk, is retiring from the Jefferson County District Clerk's Office. At the Jefferson County District Clerk's Office, whenever an attorney needs to file papers, a juror needs a form signed or a resident wants to look up a lawsuit, it is usually Adele Vokolek that gives them a hand.
Jefferson County District Clerk Lolita Ramos and her staff held their annual Christmas party on Dec. 22, where the holiday cheer was just as plentiful as the daily legal filings.
In the three years since Hurricane Rita struck, thousands of lawsuits have been filed in Golden Triangle courts. And now with Hurricane Ike in the rear view mirror, Jefferson County is expecting Ike suits to eclipse Rita-related filings.
Judge Donald Floyd is bringing his court into the 21st Century, ordering that all cases filed in the Jefferson County 172nd District Court now be submitted as E-file cases.
Jefferson County Commissioners Court Soon, the public can expect to spend anywhere from 15 to 45 seconds passing through metal detectors at the Jefferson County Courthouse main entrance while security officers X-ray their belongings.