Courts
Court rejects bid to overturn ballot language
Today’s City Council agenda contains resolutions and emergency ordinances waiving fees and regulations to help Austinites deal with the aftermath of prolonged freezing temperatures and the loss of power and water. The final item on the agenda is entirely different.…
Courts • By Jo Clifton • Feb 25, 2021
Save Austin Now sues city over ballot language
Three Austin voters who signed a petition to put a public camping ban on the May 1 ballot have filed suit against the city to force a change in the ballot language. Linda Durnin, Eric Krohn and Michael Lovins allege…
Courts • By Jo Clifton • Feb 22, 2021
Another protester files suit over APD's use of 'less-lethal' rounds. That's the second this week.
The Austin Police Department is facing yet another lawsuit over its use of less-lethal rounds during protests this summer. A complaint filed on behalf of Steven Arawn accuses an unidentified officer of excessive force for using a so-called beanbag round…
Courts • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Nov 12, 2020
City faces another lawsuit over police using ‘less lethal’ round during protests
A federal lawsuit filed Tuesday argues an Austin police officer used excessive force when he shot a protester with a “less lethal” round in May, irreparably damaging the man’s eyesight. The suit is the latest against the city over the…
Courts • By Andrew Weber, KUT • Nov 11, 2020
City wants Supreme Court to hear digital billboards case
The city of Austin plans to appeal a ruling overturning its ban on digital billboards and signs that aren’t on the site of a business. In August, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals found the city’s distinction between on-premise and…
Courts • By Samuel King • Oct 29, 2020
Utility puts off settling lawsuit amid uproar
After hearing complaints from environmentalists and residents of Hamilton Pool Road at their meeting Thursday, the board of directors of the West Travis County Public Utility Agency decided to postpone a formal settlement of a lawsuit filed against the board…
Courts • By Jo Clifton • Oct 26, 2020
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Federal judge orders mediation over TxDOT’s Oak Hill Parkway project
On Aug. 30, United States District Judge Robert Pitman signed an order granting the wish of Save Barton Creek Association, Save Oak Hill and affiliated groups to enter supervised mediation with the Texas Department of Transportation over its plans for…
Courts • By Ryan Thornton • Sep 24, 2020
Kinder Morgan sued over drilling fluid spill in Blanco County
The pipeline company Kinder Morgan violated the Safe Drinking Water Act when it spilled tens of thousands of gallons of drilling fluid into Blanco County groundwater, according to a new lawsuit from local landowners and groundwater conservation groups. In late…
Courts • By Mose Buchele, KUT • Jun 24, 2020
Court order that opens up mail-in voting in Texas stays in effect for now, appeals court rules
Voters who don’t want to risk exposure to the coronavirus may use mail-in ballots during upcoming elections as a legal battle moves through the courts, a Texas appeals court ruled Thursday. The 14th Court of Appeals ruled a trial court…
Courts • By Ashley Lopez, KUT • May 15, 2020
City declares broad equity goals for pretrial services
In the middle of a pandemic that has led to a sharp decrease in the Travis County Jail population, Austin City Council plans to leverage its influence to keep the jail population low by reserving use of pretrial detention for…
Courts • By Ryan Thornton • Apr 10, 2020
Judge throws out City Council votes on new Austin land code, putting rewrite in jeopardy
In a ruling that could derail Austin’s rewrite of its Land Development Code, a Travis County district judge voided two votes City Council has taken so far on the changes. The city has spent nearly eight years and more than…
Courts • By Audrey McGlinchy, KUT • Mar 19, 2020
Habitat for Humanity, Environment Texas weigh in on land code lawsuit
Travis County District Judge Jan Soifer heard arguments Wednesday from attorneys for 19 Austin homeowners who sued the city over the new Land Development Code. The homeowners filed rezoning protests, but the city denied their requests for a hearing. The plaintiffs…
