AUSTIN - A bill recently introduced into the Texas Legislature seeks to increase the education requirements for newly elected judges and to also provide more information for voters about judicial candidates.
AUSTIN - The Texas Civil Justice League has sent a letter to Chief Justice Nathan Hecht of the Texas Supreme Court requesting that rulemaking be initiated to require some form of disclosure of the existence of third-party litigation funding agreements.
As part of the larger debate over the manner in which Texas selects its judiciary, one aspect of the issue has attracted a higher degree of consensus than the process of selection itself: judicial qualifications.
Recent numbers pulled together by the Texas Civil Justice League from several sources show a new law providing COVID-19 civil liability protections for employers, health care providers, and non-profits following appropriate public health protocols is working.
Nearly a year has passed since the Legislature enacted SB 6, which extends liability protections to health care providers and businesses from lawsuits related to COVID-19. Has the bill been successful in its policy objective to prevent a wave of litigation in Texas courts, primarily health care liability, premises liability, and employer-employee claims?
The return of nuclear verdicts to Texas courts (and attorney television advertising) and the recently launched efforts of the medical malpractice plaintiff’s bar to convince the federal courts to strike down Texas’ cap on noneconomic damages in medical liability cases (which is likely to play out over several years) could potentially raise an issue for state lawmakers: is it time to consider codifying at least some objective standards and levels of proof for mental anguish damages?
AUSTIN – Legislation aimed at blocking employers from mandating vaccines has blurred the political lines, as many groups that usually support Republican initiatives are standing against the bill.
AUSTIN – No Texan voted for the California officials who are orchestrating climate change “lawfare” against his state’s energy sector – oil and gas companies that employ hundreds of thousands and brings in billions in tax revenue, says Gov. Greg Abbott.
AUSTIN – After being sent back to committee on a point of order yesterday, proponents of House Bill 2144 – legislation that seeks to restore the tort of public nuisance back to its original intent – believe the bill will be back on the calendar soon.
AUSTIN – The parties accused of orchestrating climate change “lawfare” against the energy sector are feigning shock that their attempts to chill speech and commandeer public policy could be subjected to personal jurisdiction in Texas courts, ExxonMobil argues in a recently filed brief.
A group of California cities and counties are waging a legal battle in California state court against ExxonMobil and 17 other Texas-based energy companies. The municipalities allege that the companies are engaging in activities that have caused or are causing an imminent rise in sea levels, and seek billions of dollars in damages from the companies, allegedly to address this risk.
AUSTIN – The Senate Business & Commerce Committee held a hearing on the Pandemic Liability Protection Act today, during which the bill’s author, Sen. Kelly Hancock, assured all who were present that “bad actors” won’t be protected from litigation.
FORT WORTH – The parties accused of orchestrating climate change “lawfare” against the energy sector are asking the state’s highest court to deny ExxonMobil’s petition of review.
AUSTIN – The 87th Texas Legislature is underway, and Texans for Lawsuit Reform has several top priorities for the 2021 session, one of which is COVID-19 liability protections for businesses that follow safety protocols.
AUSTIN – Since the start of the pandemic, many groups have pushed for COVID-19 liability protections, seeking to protect businesses from opportunistic trial lawyers.
AUSTIN – The Texas Civil Justice League recently filed an amicus brief in the Texas Supreme Court concerning the availability of discovery of reasonable and customary medical expenses in a personal injury a lawsuit.
