John Council

November 13, 2000 |

With Texas' highest courts already under Republican control, the GOP picked up four more seats on the mid-level appellate courts. Now the question is whether judicial decisions will be impacted by the fact Republicans will hold nearly two of every three seats on the state's mid-level appellate courts. "In certain politically charged cases, it will have an effect," says law professor James Paulsen.

By Brenda Sapino Jeffreys, Mary Alice Robbins, and John Council

11 minute read

December 22, 2003 |

Michael Ramsey, Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharon Pierce, Joe Jamail, Donald Godwin and Mike Gruber, State Bar of Texas chief disciplinary counsel Dawn Miller, Jeff Blackburn and Mitchell Katine

By Brenda Sapino Jeffreys, Mary Alice Robbins, Miriam Rozen, John Council

39 minute read

July 11, 2005 |

Should U.S. Attorney General Alberto "Al" Gonzales become President George W. Bush's first U.S. Supreme Court nominee, senators reviewing his qualifications will no doubt look at the time Gonzales spent on the Texas Supreme Court.

By John Council

23 minute read

November 11, 2002 |

In the Nov. 5 general election, Steven Wayne Smith -- a political outsider who turned off Republican financial backers by beating an appointee of Gov. Rick Perry's in the GOP primary last March -- easily defeated Democrat Margaret Mirabal for Place 4 on the high court. Smith's win proves that money and endorsements -- of which he had little -- are less important than the party label in Texas' statewide judicial races, several political analysts say.

By John Council and Mary Alice Robbins

10 minute read