Mary Alice Robbins

August 30, 2004 | Texas Lawyer

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals churned out fewer opinions in its 2003-2004 term than it did in each of the past two terms.

By Mary Alice Robbins

13 minute read

March 19, 2012 | Texas Lawyer

The state's Sunset Advisory Commission (SAC) staff has recommended that the agency responsible for policing judges' conduct be required to open its closed meetings and confidential records for sunset review.

By Mary Alice Robbins

7 minute read

February 18, 2003 | Law.com

A divided Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled last week that the Code of Criminal Procedure "clearly and indisputably" prohibits the videotaping of jury deliberations. At issue was an order by Houston Judge Ted Poe that would have allowed the PBS series "Frontline" to place an unmanned camera in the room with jurors considering the death penalty case of a 17-year-old charged with a shooting death during a carjacking.

By Mary Alice Robbins

7 minute read

December 19, 2011 | Texas Lawyer

With 2011 winding down, it's time to look back at the miscues, missteps and, in one instance, misplaced apprehension that marked the year for the Texas legal community. Texas Lawyer reviews what happened, or didn't happen, on the legal front to determine those most deserving of the Tongue-in-Cheek Awards.

By Mary Alice Robbins

5 minute read

April 24, 2006 | Law.com

The 3rd Court of Appeals affirmed Senior District Judge Pat Priest's dismissal of two charges against U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Sugar Land, but the tone of the court's April 19 opinion seemed to encourage prosecutors to continue their appeal.

By Mary Alice Robbins

5 minute read

June 25, 2001 | Law.com

Certain nonlawyers could perform limited legal services in Texas and -- if they make mistakes -- be exempt from being sued under the state's Deceptive Trade Practices Act if a proposed statute included in a report accepted on June 14 by the State Bar of Texas board of directors is enacted. Thompson & Knight's Gregory Huffman says the idea is for the statute to reflect the reality in the practice of law today.

By Mary Alice Robbins

5 minute read

January 23, 2001 | Law.com

A Texas court ruled law professor James Paulsen can lose his license to practice law for refusing to turn over Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts interest to the Texas Equal Access to Justice Foundation, which funds legal services for the poor. Paulsen argued that participating in the IOLTA program is unethical and makes him "a party in theft of my client's property," but the judge was unconvinced.

By Mary Alice Robbins

6 minute read

April 19, 2002 | Law.com

Texans who say they've waived their right to have disputes settled by juries because they signed contracts with binding arbitration clauses asked the Texas Legislature for help at an April 3 hearing. But the chairman of the House Civil Practices Committee says state lawmakers are "very limited" in what they can do because the Federal Arbitration Act governs arbitration matters if interstate commerce is involved.

By Mary Alice Robbins

4 minute read

June 23, 2003 | National Law Journal

With the stroke of a pen on June 11, Gov. Rick Perry signed into law a comprehensive reform bill that could change the civil litigation landscape in Texas.

By Mary Alice Robbins

4 minute read

February 20, 2001 | Law.com

The Texas Supreme Court issued its first interpretation of the recent changes the Texas Legislature made in the state's open-records law. The court ruled documents privileged or confidential under the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure or Texas Rules of Evidence also meet the test for being kept confidential under the new public information law.

By Mary Alice Robbins

6 minute read