When the science crumbles, Texas law says a conviction could, too. That rarely happens.
Texasโ 2013 law that allows for new trials in cases with flawed scientific evidence was pioneering. But the stateโs highest criminal court has rejected most of those challenges.
Ken Paxton successfully ousts three Republican criminal appeal court judges
Three incumbent judges with nearly a century of criminal law experience fell victim to Paxtonโs political revenge tour after they ruled against the attorney general in a 2021 voter fraud case.
Paxtonโs push to oust incumbents puts spotlight on Court of Criminal Appeals primaries
The attorney general has tried to supplant eight Republican judges on the court after they rejected his efforts to unilaterally prosecute voter fraud. The judges are now pushing back.
Texas court confirms the attorney general canโt unilaterally prosecute election cases
Texasโ highest criminal court once again said the attorney general needs permission from local prosecutors to pursue election cases. Attorney General Ken Paxton had fought that decision.
Comptroller, railroad commissioner, lieutenant governor: What do Texas state officials actually do?
For example, members of the Railroad Commission donโt deal with railroads. Hereโs what the many officials elected statewide do with the power voters give them.
Texas attorney general cannot unilaterally prosecute election cases, state's highest criminal court rules
The 8-1 decision came Wednesday from the all-Republican Court of Criminal Appeals.
Court rules 'Innocent Man' defendant to remain imprisoned
The Court of Criminal Appeals ruled Thursday, Jan. 7, 2021 that 60-year-old Tommy Ward remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower court's ruling. (Oklahoma Department of Corrections via AP)OKLAHOMA CITY โ A man who has spent 35 years in prison in a murder case featured in the book and television series โThe Innocent Manโ must remain incarcerated even after a judge ordered his release, an appeals court ruled Thursday. The Court of Criminal Appeals ordered Tommy Ward, 60, to remain imprisoned while the state appeals the lower courtโs ruling that he be released. Fontenot, Ward's co-defendant, was ordered released by a federal judge in 2019, and the state is also appealing that order. After the details of both menโs confessions were proven untrue โ Harawayโs body was discovered years later in a different location and had been shot to death not stabbed as the pair had said โ a state appeals court ordered new trials.