letter from harris county attorney

It has a chilling effect, Rodriguez said while questioning a state attorney Friday morning. This is an official form from the Harris County, Texas District Clerks Office, which complies with all applicable laws and statutes. Did you say anything at all to the officers? Its just the Big Lie in a slightly sanitized package. Ignoring the letter forces the opposing partys lawyer to do one thing recommend that his or her client proceed to Court. 9 Cause No. Please complete an event and/or meeting request in its entirety using the link(s) below. She is the Harris County District Attorney in Texas and assumed office in 2017. The proposed rule stemmed from concerns that defendants were being released on bail fees lower than the 10 percent and then being forced into payment plans. See here and here for some background; the story also references the lawsuit filed by Harris County that has been temporarily paused to allow the discussion that led to this agreement. Astros Week: Michael Brantley, AT&T Sports Southwest's Money Problem and Pitch Clock Chaos, Top Draft Prospect Jalen Carter Charged With Reckless Driving and Racing on Day of NFL Combine. State highway officials held fast to their plans for rebuilding Interstate 45 in Houston on Thursday, offering a litany of benefits the project will bring and pressing federal officials to lift a 12-month-and-counting pause on development. As a bail agent for the corporate surety Allegheny Casualty Co., she also worries that the new rule will put her at odds with the insurance company which she fears could violate customer privacy. Menu Change, Waiver UPDATE: Later in the day I found this Statesman story, which added a few details. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has not yet filed a response to the lawsuit, though his office opposes the request for an injunction and will respond to that in the future, as well. Most big law firms have people fly coach now unless a business class seat is the only thing available. It also doesnt matter whether the regular Republicans support this madness or not. Disclaimer | Sylvester Turner, Mayor Mayor Sylvester Turner serves as the Executive Officer of the City. Several other provisions of SB 1 have been challenged ina half-dozenlawsuitsby civil rights groups and theBiden administrations Justice Department,includingbans on 24-hour and drive-thru voting, ID requirements for mail-in ballots andprotections for partisan poll watchers. Former officer Gerald Goines led a raid on the home, which police believed to. 21 Cause No. As things stand now, a whole lot of people will be mad at the outcome, whatever it is. The Business Records Affidavit is a legal mechanism through which the recipient authenticates the documents provided for use in future legal proceedings. , New! There is no valid justification for such a one-sided restriction on speech.. James Lombardino is represented by Jared Woodfill. Although the ballots were processed, Harris County now intends to include them in the final vote canvass, Christopher Hilton, chief of the Attorney Generals office general litigation division said Monday. Morgan testified that she was concerned the law applied even to volunteers like her, given that her role is formally certified by county election offices. Theres no explanation for it hes just flat wrong. Given that Harris County voters cast more than 1.1 million ballots overall, the 2,000 provisional ballots have little chance of changing most election outcomes. Most letters will include a section labeled Definitions that instructs the recipient about how to interpret keywords within the text of the requests. All About Bail Bonds owner and plaintiff Sunya Claiborne argued in the lawsuit that the policy jeopardizes her business calling the minimum fee requirement classic price fixing and a per se antitrust violation. The lawyer for the plaintiff, Kevin Pennell, said he plans this week to appeal the judges order. 4 Cause No. Nile Copeland is represented by Elizabeth Alvarez. Of course the [Texas Supreme Court] proceedings remain pending and the court could rule on something. Liens, Real Turner signed the citys agreement Monday, after it was signed by TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. Theft, Personal Generally, lawyers won't have much free time if they're on a busy deal or busy case and will sacrifice many weekends and evenings during those times, but there will also be times (entire weeks or months) where there are no busy deals or cases--times when you get out of the office in the mid-afternoon or have long. Until then, we wait. Operating Agreements, Employment Think about sending the document to your legal counsel to make certain all things are completed properly. Rodriguez also rejected Paxtons claim that granting the injunction would interfere with the orderly operation of Texas elections. Divorce, Separation The Republicans picked the judges with some of the smallest accounts. Federal prosecutors sometimes resemble sharks, because they are frequently unwilling to abandon even fruitless investigations unless they draw some blood. Longoria said her office was now taking a passive approach to voter outreach in regard to voting by mail, with staffers gingerly weighing their words while answering voters questions about their options. Several of them are considering election contests.. A decision by a dissenting [opinion] of the court, while sometimes correct, Ariens said, is not as helpful as a decision from a majority of the court., But getting the temporary restraining order granted in the first place puts San Antonio and Bexar County in a stronger position, he said, as it allowed the city to get a mask mandate in place in public schools and public facilities. Im extremely doubtful that there is a legitimate legal challenge here, Stein said. r/magic8ball I wish this was a thing and not a dead sub with one post. Seems like a lot of fuss for something that is unlikely to go anywhere, but who knows. webcomments@hctx.net. On defining solicitation, because a felony criminal prosecution is possible, Justice Jane Bland asked if the state should limit its meaning to the penal codes definition, which would restrict the term to situations where a public official induces someone to commit a criminal act. The law has drawn multiple lawsuits in addition toLongoria v. Paxton. Matthew Masterson, who previously served as the Trump administrations top election security official and now is Microsofts director of information integrity, said that Paxtons opinion will make it impossible for election administrators to appropriately ensure that ballots are kept secure. Its just chaos intended to give a boost to Big Lie enthusiasts, and as the story notes later on, its potentially a conflict of interest for Paxton since he himself is on the ballot this year, and everyone agrees its likely to be a close race. The state is expected to quickly appeal the ruling. Trevino 3,150 4,270 0 26,871 If you need to write a similar letter. I have no interest in prioritizing those needs over anyone elses. I've been notified of misdemeanor charges through the mail (not certified) and served by process. Without the minimum fee, Claiborne planned to offer competitive pricing of less than 10% of the face amount of the bond to consumers who desire to purchase a bail bond for themselves, or their loved ones charged with a designated offense and qualify for reduced payment terms, according to court documents. The stay and pause, officials said, would give an opening to officials to work out details of the planned freeway widening without backing off their opposition to what TxDOT is proposing. As happened last fall, Hegar and County Administrator David Berry have used different methods to project out Heaps seven-month budget to a full year. His application of state law is wrong. 2023-00958; Rory Olsen v. Judge Jason Cox. 2023-00964; Alexandra Mealer v. Lina Hidalgo. And for all of the fuss, final results were posted at 1:26 AM, which seems pretty damn reasonable to me. Their decision was supported by Harris County Commissioners Court and leaders of both political parties, a statement from Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee read. All requests must be in writing. In the roughly 20 months since, officials chipped away at the differences,postponing action on the countys lawsuitand awaiting the federal review, while exploring what changes TxDOT could make to appease concerns. Create your US Legal Forms account now and get a lot more samples. Business. I wont hold my breath for it. That doesnt mean the Legislature wants resources to be used toward nudging people toward voting by mail.. But hey, lawsuits are time- and resource-intensive, and they often end in settlements anyway, so why not give this a try. Approval of the deal would automatically trigger a request by county officials drop the lawsuit against TxDOT. Customer Service. As to who might file a contest, again well have to see. And theres nothing in the law that prohibits them from being counted, Menefee said. Nearly 70% of voters cast their ballots during the early voting period, but Mealer only cites issues on Election Day itself. Theres apparently some talk of a compromise, which would need to happen soon, but Ill believe it when I see it. Longoria has planned to engage in speeches and hold voter-outreach events but has been unable to do so for fear of criminal prosecution and civil penalties, said Tuesdays filing, adding that Longoria also halted plans to promote mail-in voting with fliers and on social media. Dont ask me when that is likely to happen. Just to review the timeline a bit, the federal order to halt I-45 construction did indeed come one year ago, a couple of weeks after Harris County sued TxDOT over many of the previously expressed concerns about the project. Recent bills proposed in the state legislature largely floundered. Among them: I think the next steps are sitting down in a room and working out all the details, Metro board Chairman Sanjay Ramabhadran said of the work ahead. Click the Create button below for a Certified Letter of Disposition or enter additional information . Both parties had the opportunity to ask questions, review the chain of custody document, and raise issues. Tatum, your day of reckoning has just started.. Steer clear of days of lost time seeking the internet and dropped money on documents that arent updated. Ron DeSantis' office sent a letter to State Attorney Monique Worrell demanding answers after an alleged shooter with a criminal history was allowed to stay on the streets prior to a shooting spree in Pine Hills last week.. Keith Melvin Moses allegedly shot five people in Pine Hills, killing three, which included a television reporter and a 9-year-old on Feb. 22. Estate, Last Jerry Garcia, Constable Precinct 2 Addressing changes sought by the Harris County Flood Control District that improve drainage for neighborhoods north and south of the Loop 610 interchange with I-45. And even the states witness Keith Ingram, the Texas secretary of states director of elections indicated the threat of prosecution loomed over election officials. Though there is concern about the projects impacts in Midtown, Third Ward and Eado, the most vocal opposition to the project emanates from north of downtown where TxDOT proposes to add two managed lanes in each direction to I-45. Menefee 36,826 30,700 0 193,291 The Department of Justice haschallengedS.B. Menefee. It is highly likely that a lawsuit will result. 10-DAY DEMAND LETTER PROCEDURES The District Attorney requires that you write a letter to the person in possession of your vehicle. The dispute seems to be more about politics than the law, Martin Renteria, a Republican election judge in Harris County, said. Still the only voter ID anyone should need. There were a half-dozen voting locations within walking distance of my house on Election Day. Agreements, Corporate During a Wednesday hearing before the court, the foremost issue that appeared to concern the justices was whether they should provide an advisory opinion to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals at all. The election code does not speak to the delivery other than the presiding judge must turn over those election records to our election office. Rodriguez previewed his order throughout a Friday morning hearing during which he repeatedly pressed the states attorneys with increasing exasperation to fill in what he cataloged as ambiguities in the new law. Taylor alleged 80 percent of polling places with paper shortages on Nov. 8 were in areas considered Republican strongholds. Hidalgos opponent Alexandra del Moral Mealer. Facility operators say the plants are safe and need to be close to construction sites. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg during a press conference Wednesday, July 1, 2020, in Houston. 1 takes direct aim at both, saidSean Morales-Doyle, acting director of the Voting Rights and Elections Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law. We worked hard to make this happen. Who is the county attorney Harris County? Will Archer is represented by Elizabeth Alvarez. Governors have broad power under the Disaster Act, he said, noting that the state Supreme Court sided with Abbott when Travis County attempted to enact a New Years Eve curfew for restaurants. Center, Small Our hospital system will operate at a $45 million deficit, Hidalgo said. The proceedings are pending. There were 2,555 provisional ballots cast on Election Day, of which 2,420 included a vote in the DaSean Jones Tami Pierce race. Nothing on this site constitutes legal advice or gives rise to a solicitor/client relationship. Harris County Attorney said Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar's claims that Harris County officials are finding a resolution to defunding law enforcement complaints are false. You never know. Advise and represent clients in courts, before government agencies, and in private legal matters. The amount of evidence theyd need to provide to come close to justifying such an ask, I cant even begin to comprehend. Litigators travel more than corporate attorneys. Neither party raised concerns. Turner sent a proposed agreement, in the form of a memorandum of understanding, to Bugg last August. A hearing is scheduled Monday morning; lawyers representing San Antonio, Bexar County, will ask to extend the temporary restraining order into a temporary injunction. Commissioners courtOfficeNameHarris County Commissioners Court JudgeLina HidalgoHarris County Commissioners Court Precinct 1Rodney EllisHarris County Commissioners Court Precinct 2Adrian GarciaHarris County Commissioners Court Precinct 3Tom Ramsey1 more row. My question for you all, is this pretty much done deal that I'm getting fined and going to jail? People also can comment online, via phone or at local TxDOT offices. I thought the price fixing argument was weak and as such Im not surprised at this outcome. I would be very careful about that, Ingram responded. Last time around, Hegar folded like a cheap suit after Harris County took the matter to court. The article is paywalled, but I got to see a Google doc copy of it. Change, Waiver The letter, a response to a letter sent by seven Houston-area Congressman urging Buttigieg to not impede the project, was drafted by Stop TxDOT I-45, which formed to oppose the project, along with Air Alliance Houston and 14 environmental, community or left-leaning groups. Briones 819,495 331,782 0 667,234 Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, the lone Republican on the court, voted against the measure. Kyle Scott is represented by Elizabeth Alvarez. Googling around, I saw a news item from September about Juul settling with the state of Texas, which was part of a larger class action settlement, and a news item from December about a $1.7 billion settlement of over 5000 lawsuits nationwide. However, given that the provisional votes cast on Election Day favored Democrats, its even less likely for that race to be affected, and it would be impossible for both of them to be in a position to change. Sometimes if you sign up for trustee (work while in jail) they give you and extra days credit. 1 makes it a crime for me to do a critical part of my job, and it hurts the most vulnerable voters, saidIsabel Longoria, Harris County Election Administrator. Harris County assumes no liability for damages incurred directly or indirectly as a result of errors, omissions or discrepancies. I am willing to consider a pause, Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said. The Texas Organizing Project didnt file its lawsuit to extend voting hours because of problems in The Villages and Cy-Fair. It could all be a moot point by then anyway.. Harris County Attorney's Office 1019 Congress, 15th Floor Houston, TX 77002 Office: 713-755-5101 Fax: 713-755-8924 Communications@harriscountytx.gov Harris County Attorney's Office Staff Directory For Media Inquiries Media Hotline: 832-544-8045 Communications@harriscountytx.gov To Report Price Gouging Click hereto file a report. . Dont ever give them an inch. Heres a Twitter thread from Chron reporter Emily Foxhall with more quotes. Andy Taylor, general counsel for the Harris County GOP, is representing Lunceford. A-Z, Form This is not some sort of radical rebellion, he said. When it comes to voting by mail, I have to be very careful with my words, Longoria said from the witness stand. It appears you forgot to include your location in the title or body of your post. Harris County Justice of the Peace Court Forms - Downloadable forms for small claims cases, eviction, and criminal matters heard by Justices of the Peace. On its own motion, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has certified the following questions to the Court: (1) Whether Volunteer Deputy Registrars are public officials under the Texas Election Code; (2) Whether the speech Plaintiffs allege that they intend to engage in constitutes solicitation within the context of Texas Election Code 276.016(a)(1). Theres absolutely no justification for this state and federal law are clear, and nothing has changed about them. 7 Cause No. The Chron has more. Even for a few weeks. Work demands keep most lawyers in private practice from frequent or lengthy vacations. Step 2: For a period of thirty (30) calendar days, collections prepares and mails a series of demand letters and may attempt contact by phone. I was all set to have a peaceful weekend when I came across a press release from Commissioner Ellis office on Friday afternoon about this. Houston, Texas Today, several losing Republican candidates filed election contests to void the more than 1 million votes cast in Harris Countys November 2022 election. Arturo G. MichelDecember 3, 2020 -- Mayor Sylvester Turner has selected a familiar name and a well-respected attorney to join the administration as the City's chief legal counsel and advisor. judges sued to undo 22 election. 2023-01066; Dan Simons v. Judge Sedrick Walker. S.B. The office also provides legal advice to county officials and employees. In December, a motion was filed to get a temporary injunction against the provision of that law that makes it a crime for election officials and election workers to encourage voters to vote by mail, whether or not those voters are eligible under Texas law to do so. WHD knocked on about 1500. Our election workers should not have to fear being criminally prosecuted because the attorney general wants to play politics and try to rewrite laws, Menefee said. As I said, I have no criminal record to speak of prior to this so I'm not sure what to think at this point. The Texas Election Network website which has minimal information about the organization and does not disclose its leadership lists five objectives, including clean voter rolls and fraud-free absentee ballots. Letter to Federal GovernmentGovernment Application LetterGovernment Opinion LetterLetter to a Government OfficialHillsborough County Letter of IntentLetter to County ClerkLetter to a Government AgencyBill Support LetterMontgomery County LetterCounty Court Letter. Not only would the back-and-forth cause further confusion among parents of schoolchildren, but leaders of Bexar, Dallas, and Harris counties could simply refuse to stop requiring masks. I dont know why the change of court and I dont know if the second hearing was delayed or if it just took that long for a ruling, but here we are. Vips Support Documents and Useful Resource Links . This one will be heard in a courtroom. Theres an unwritten contract between parents and their schools and its that when our children are under the care of their schools, they do everything they can to keep them safe, Hidalgo wrote in a letter to superintendents. According to a letter from the District Attorney's Office to the City of Houston, District Attorney Kim Ogg requested "all City of Houston ordinances, codes, or rules that pertain or in any way . 2023-301111; Will Archer v. Judge James Horwitz. The General Counsel Practice Group provides legal advice to the Countys elected and appointed officials, and employees. We have the knowledge and skills to get results. (713) 275-7830. The two men, according to doorbell camera video footage recorded by a Sunnyside resident, wore badges identifying themselves as members of Texas Election Network, a conservative grass-roots organization formed in 2021. Because the Harris and Travis County district attorneys did not appeal, only Longorias challenge to the civil penalty permitted by the civil-liability provision and the Volunteer Deputy Registrars challenge to the criminal liability imposed under the anti-solicitation provision were at issue in the appeal. Im tentative to overreach at the moment.. 1 provision no later than February 14, 2022. Texas should be encouraging election officials to provide voters all the information they need to participate in elections. Judge Finch is represented by Anthony Drumheller. So yeah, this is the guy who wants unlimited power to prosecute election fraud which, evidence would suggest hes not very good at and is now sending out the howler monkeys against the Court of Criminal Appeals in order to get his way. Customer Service provides assistance related to criminal, civil and family cases (causes). Garcia 33,177 8,498 0 54,177 In a 4-1 vote, the court authorized County Attorney Christian Menefee to pursue a lawsuit against the comptrollers office. The lawsuit was brought by Harris County election administrator Isabel Longoria and Cathy Morgan, a volunteer deputy registrar who is appointed to help register voters in Travis and Williamson counties. The remedy for having to vote late because of voting location problems is to extend voting hours to accommodate those that were affected. The two new agreements, one between TxDOT and the city and another between TxDOT and Harris County, specify the commitments both sides are making. Ingram said he didnt know the purpose of the provision. They also refer to the overall total of about 4,000 provisional ballots the actual overall total is 4,333, of which 1,778 were cast early and are clearly not at issue. Which is what the Chron editorial board concluded a few days ago. Despite the crisis, St. Marys University School of Law professor Michael Ariens believes the lawsuits ultimate success is a long shot.. Seriously, this was a fine performance by the Elections Office. Most of the new details are similar to requestsTurner made in August 2021, and correspond with requests county officials raised more than a year ago, which state highway officials said they could not approve because they locked TxDOT into commitments on side ventures that werenot included in the project. Nevertheless, the requests contained in civil investigative demands and grand jury subpoenas often exceed the appropriate boundaries of what can be asked for. Its just one page long, and the gist of it is this: In this mandamus proceeding, which challenges Harris County election officials processing of the later cast votes, we grant the following temporary relief under Rule of Appellate Procedure 52.10(b): The petition for writ of mandamus remains pending before this Court. After an evidentiary hearing, the district court granted the plaintiffs motion for a preliminary injunction, enjoining the defendants from enforcing and prosecuting under the provisions. Hidalgo said Hegar came to an incorrect conclusion by dividing Harris Countys 2022 short fiscal year budget by seven months and multiplying that number by 12 to get the annualized budget. (S or C-Corps), Articles It created a 20-day window of early voting in the late 1980s and expanded it dramatically in the early 1990s to include more locations like shopping malls and grocery stores. No one wants all this hard work to go to waste. Texas Attorney General Website (How to Request Public Information), Harris County Attorneys Office,1019 Congress,15th FloorHouston, TX 77002. County Attorney Christian Menefee and Lone Star lawyers alleged in separate complaints to the EPA earlier this year that the state agency discriminated against Black and Latino residents when they didnt adequately ensure communities would be protected and didnt appropriately seek input from people who arent fluent in English. S.B. In a statement, Menefee confirmed his office will file a lawsuit against Hegar. I'm a college student making a commute across state lines (to the county the attorney is from) and I have no criminal record or charges in my name. Theres some risk here for Harris County as well, as the opponents of this project arent likely to be happy with half a loaf. See here for the background. The concrete plants are subject to permits that aim to limit pollution in the form of particulate matter and crystalline silica which have been linked to respiratory diseases and cancer but independent testing of concrete facilities by the complaints authors indicate that pollution levels exceed health-based limits. Houston, Texas, U.S. Kim Ogg is an American lawyer. One thing thats clear from the high number of mail-in ballot applications being rejected is that our election officials should be empowered to explain the process and encourage folks to apply to vote by mail if eligible. Corporations, 50% I stop mid-sentence sometimes at town halls. Their presence allows us to view a case from both points of view the defense and the prosecution. The Press has more. I dont see the appeals being successful, but maybe theres some technical point of law on which they can get a rehearing. The Texas Attorney Generals office is attempting a last-minute intervention to toss out 2,000 provisional ballots before a Harris County Commissioners Court meeting Tuesday to certify the November election. Alan Rosen had his eye on the Sheriffs office back when Ed Gonzalez was a nominee for head of ICE, but thats off the table now. We are ready to move forward together, said Texas Transportation Commissioner Laura Ryan. Mr. He urged the county to proceed with the lawsuit, rather than relent. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee Tuesday denied Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar's announcement that county officials are attempting to resolve the defunding claims Hegar made earlier this . A temporary guardianship may be created without notice to the ward if the court has probable cause to believe that the incapacitated minor or adult person requires the immediate appointment of a guardian, without a formal doctors letter or hearing. The ban on sending unsolicited mail-voting applications was one of many provisions containedinSenate Bill 1, the sweeping GOP voting law that was passed Sept. 1during the Legislatures second special session. . Carla Wyatt, County Treasurer, Alexandra Mealer, County Judge She is 1 of 17 elected Harris County Dem. I have no context to guess how long it may take, though Id expect that if the state doesnt like what the EPA says well get a lawsuit afterwards.