Austin lawyers and law firms across Texas are using their powers of persuasion and pocketbooks to convince Travis County voters to approve a bond for a new civil and family courthouse.

See Related Chart: Contributions to Courthouse Campaign

There's wide agreement that Travis County needs to replace the 84-year-old Heman Marion Sweatt Courthouse—with its leaky roof, rat infestation and cramped courtrooms. But there's trepidation over whether voters will embrace higher property taxes for the $291.6 million bond to fund the Travis County Civil & Family Courts Complex.

To convince voters of the great need for a new courthouse, a handful of Austin lawyers launched the Community for Civil and Family Courthouse Political Action Committee. The PAC has attracted funding from some of the state's biggest law firms to finance a public education campaign.