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New ruling clears the way for public comment at City Council work sessions

Thursday morning, Mayor Kirk Watson kicked off a planned budget work session in an unusual way.  “Late yesterday, we received a copy of a court order related to one of the lawsuits and, as a result of that, we are…

Judge rejects appeal in Central Health lawsuit

Judge Amy Clark Meachum has rejected a request by plaintiffs suing Central Health to take an immediate appeal to the 3rd Court of Appeals over the agency’s transfer of $35 million per year to the University of Texas Dell Medical…

Attorney general files appeal before rail trial begins

The Texas attorney general’s office filed an appeal to the 3rd Court of Appeals on Monday morning after Judge Eric Shepperd told a packed Travis County courtroom that he would not rule on a challenge to the jurisdiction before hearing…

Travis County judge dismisses Paxton's lawsuit over Austin ordinance decriminalizing pot

A Travis County judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against Austin over its 2022 voter-approved ordinance decriminalizing marijuana possession. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed the suit in January, alleging Austin was violating state law and promoting “the use of…

TxDOT argues in court that I-35 never caused racial discrimination – contradicting TxDOT

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is arguing in federal court that Interstate 35 didn’t unfairly disadvantage Black or Latino Austinites, contradicting the state agency’s own historical assessments of the highway that opened in 1962. “Defendant specifically denies the allegations…

SOS sues city to stop Statesman PUD

The Save Our Springs Alliance has sued the city in an attempt to stop construction of the Statesman Planned Unit Development that Council approved in December 2022. Specifically, the environmental organization seeks to stop any “permit approvals, city fee waivers,…

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Lawsuit over bonds that would pay for Project Connect is taking a longer route

Although lawyers for the city of Austin and the Austin Transit Partnership were looking for a way to validate bonds needed to build Project Connect, the city’s proposed rail system, they have run into opposition from the Texas attorney general’s…

Judge considering lawsuit against Central Health

After hearing about two hours of arguments on Thursday, Travis County District Judge Amy Clark Meachum told attorneys for Travis County’s health care district and the three taxpayers who are suing Central Health, over its use of $35 million per…

After city lost case on development rules, it's been ordered to pay attorneys’ fees

Travis County District Judge Jessica Mangrum has ruled that the city of Austin must pay $175,000 in attorneys’ fees in a case on the city’s failure to abide by a previous order requiring notice to property owners when the city is…

Legal showdown threatens to end Austin's light-rail plans

Austin’s voter-backed transit expansion faced a critical legal test Wednesday inside a courtroom on Guadalupe Street. Seated in front of a marble wall and flanked by Texas and U.S. flags, Travis County Judge Eric Shepperd presided as attorneys in dark…

Judge rules city can’t use taxpayer money for South Central TIRZ

Travis County District Court Judge Jessica Mangrum has ruled that the city of Austin and the developers of the Statesman Planned Unit Development may not move forward with funding of the development on Lady Bird Lake with $354 million in…

ACLU sues Travis County for failing to provide legal counsel

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a class action lawsuit against Travis County for its failure to provide arrestees access to a court-appointed lawyer preceding their first hearing before a judge, known as counsel at first appearance, or CAFA. …

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