News

Judge tells two newspapers to preserve emails in capital murder case

2016-01-08T14:57:50-06:00

By Claire Osborn Austin American-Statesman Originally published Jan. 7, 2015 GEORGETOWN — A Williamson County judge ordered the publishers of two newspapers Thursday to preserve any emails they had received this fall from District Attorney Jana Duty about the controversial Crispin Harmel murder case. There has been an order since April prohibiting lawyers involved in the case from talking to reporters about it. Duty has already served time in jail for talking to an American-Statesman reporter about the case while the gag order was in effect. Defense attorneys had subpoenaed the publishers of The Williamson County Sun and The Advocate to [...]

Judge tells two newspapers to preserve emails in capital murder case2016-01-08T14:57:50-06:00

Dallas attorney files brief in First Amendment case about hip-hop

2016-01-05T15:54:17-06:00

By Texas Standard KUT-FM Originally published Jan. 5, 2016 What do three Atlanta-based rappers, a professor from the University of Richmond and a 50-year-old lawyer in Dallas have in common? No, this isn't the beginning of a bad joke – these men have all stepped up to protect the speech rights of Taylor Bell, a young man that was suspended from his high school for recording a song that alleged sexual misconduct toward female students by two of the school's coaches. Bell, who raps under the moniker T-Bizzle, was kicked out of his Fulton, Mississippi, high school in 2011 after officials [...]

Dallas attorney files brief in First Amendment case about hip-hop2016-01-05T15:54:17-06:00

Texas didn’t violate First Amendment when it denied film grant, court rules

2016-01-04T15:41:54-06:00

By John Council Texas Lawyer Originally published Dec. 31, 2015 Texas officials did not forbid the producers of a B-grade action movie from filming inside the Lone Star State but "merely opted not to subsidize the film with Texas taxpayer funds," according to Judge Catharina Haynes. In a ruling certain to disappoint those who want to film B-grade action movies in Texas on the cheap, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has ruled that the producers of "Machete Kills" don't have a First Amendment right to an incentive grant from the Texas Film Commission. The background to the [...]

Texas didn’t violate First Amendment when it denied film grant, court rules2016-01-04T15:41:54-06:00

Denton City Council repeals ordinance after allegation it violated free speech

2015-12-17T14:40:29-06:00

By Jenna Duncan Denton Record-Chronicle Originally published Dec. 15, 2015 The Denton City Council voted unanimously to repeal a nearly 10-year-old ordinance stating that council members who spoke about closed session items outside of the session could face criminal charges. While the agenda said the council would consider amending the ordinance to remove any criminal penalties, council member Kevin Roden moved to take the ordinance off the books altogether. He pressed City Attorney Anita Burgess to explain there are strict laws in place at the state level to ensure ethical behavior of elected officials, and harsher punishments for those who don’t [...]

Denton City Council repeals ordinance after allegation it violated free speech2015-12-17T14:40:29-06:00

AG: Full juvenile consultant contract can be withheld

2015-12-17T14:29:35-06:00

By Jessica Priest Victoria Advocate Originally published Dec. 15, 2015 The Victoria Advocate will not receive a copy of District Attorney Stephen Tyler's full contract with a consulting firm he hired to analyze the juvenile detention center. The Texas Attorney General's Office ruled Monday that the contract is excepted from disclosure. The AG's Office ruled that Tyler established the contract was privileged attorney-client communication under Texas Rule of Evidence 503 (b)(1). That rule allows a client "to refuse to disclose or to prevent from disclosing confidential communications made to facilitate the rendition of professional legal services to the client." A communication [...]

AG: Full juvenile consultant contract can be withheld2015-12-17T14:29:35-06:00

CONTACT INFO

  • Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas
    Kelley Shannon, Executive Director
    3001 N. Lamar Blvd., Suite 302
    Austin, Texas 78705

  • (512) 377-1575

  • [email protected]

TEXAS FOI NEWS

QUICK LINKS

MENU

RESOURCES

© Copyright 2026 | The Freedom of Information Foundation | All Rights Reserved | by HelixSEO

Toggle Sliding Bar Area
Go to Top