The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit heard arguments Tuesday on Senate Bill 2972, Texas's Campus Protection Act, which requires public colleges to restrict expressive activity from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. and during final weeks of semesters. A federal judge temporarily blocked key parts of the law last year after students at two University of Texas system campuses sued.
Daniel Ortner, Assistant Solicitor General arguing for Texas; Adam Steinbaugh, Senior attorney for Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression representing students; U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, Federal appeals court hearing arguments and 1 more
A federal judge denied a motion to dismiss a False Claims Act lawsuit against RKM Utility Services Inc., a Texas-based excavation and utilities company that lost its corporate charter. The suit alleges fraud under a pandemic-assistance program and can proceed with whistleblower Bryan Piper and the US government as parties.
Judge Amos L. Mazzant, US District Judge, Eastern District of Texas; Bryan Piper, Whistleblower; RKM Utility Services Inc., Defendant and 1 more
Emmanuel Olugbaike Finnih, a former adjunct professor at Texas Southern University, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for a student financial aid fraud scheme. He pleaded guilty to theft of government funds, fraud, unlawful use of identity documents, and aggravated identity theft.
$$921,189.08 for student aid fraud obtained
Emmanuel Olugbaike Finnih, Former adjunct professor at Texas Southern University; defendant; U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen, Judge who imposed the sentence; U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
Clayton Lloyd Iley, a 41-year-old Stephenville businessman who ran an insurance brokerage, was sentenced to 160 months in federal prison for wire fraud and identity theft. He must forfeit over 90 collector vehicles to pay restitution to victims.
$$2 million for fraud scheme total
Clayton Lloyd Iley, Insurance brokerage owner, defendant; U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas; U.S. Department of Justice, Federal agency prosecuting case
State Rep. Mitch Little, representing Ken Paxton's wealth manager Charles Loper III, asked a Collin County court to keep sealed the attorney general's depositions from a years-old securities fraud dispute. Talarico's U.S. Senate campaign had sought to unseal the depositions, arguing they are of public interest because Paxton is campaigning for U.S. Senate.
Mitch Little, State Rep., Lewisville Republican; lawyer for Charles Loper III in the case; Charles Loper III, Ken Paxton's wealth manager; defendant in the case; Ken Paxton, Attorney General; gave depositions in 2019 and 2022 and 4 more
The family of Tierra Walker, a 37-year-old from San Antonio who died in December 2024 while 20 weeks pregnant, sued Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and others on October 5, 2026. The family alleges Walker was denied an abortion despite pre-eclampsia and other serious health conditions that made continuing the pregnancy life-threatening.
Tierra Walker, deceased pregnant woman; Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General, defendant in lawsuit; LaTanya Walker, Tierra Walker's aunt and lead plaintiff and 7 more
Robert Roberson's lead attorney Gretchen Sween filed court documents with Smith County District Judge Austin Reeves Jackson requesting an evidentiary hearing date "as soon as possible." Sween cited the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals' September 24 rejection of Melissa Lucio's bid for relief, arguing the decision shows the necessity of live testimony and witness presentation in evidentiary hearings.
Robert Roberson, death row inmate seeking evidentiary hearing; Gretchen Sween, Roberson's lead attorney; Austin Reeves Jackson, Smith County District Judge and 2 more
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal denied a request by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and four Harris County Criminal Court-at-Law judges to vacate the 2019 ODonnell consent decree, which allows most people facing misdemeanor charges in Harris County to be released without cash bail before trial.
Lee H. Rosenthal, U.S. District Judge; Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General; Paula Goodhart, Harris County Criminal Court-at-Law Judge and 4 more
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone issued a preliminary injunction on October 2, 2026, blocking border barrier construction and ground-disturbing activities across the Big Bend sector. The injunction covers five contracted border wall projects and nullifies federal waivers suspending 28 environmental and historic preservation laws.
$over $7.5 billion for government contracts for border barrier infrastructure totaling
U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone, issued preliminary injunction; Center for Biological Diversity, filed lawsuit and obtained injunction; Friends of the Ruidosa Church, plaintiff in lawsuit and 4 more
A three-judge federal panel in Washington, D.C. denied judicial preclearance of Senate Bill 14, passed by the 82nd Texas Legislature, which required approved photo identification to vote. As a result, Texas cannot implement the photo ID law for the November 6 General Election.
Hope Andrade, Texas Secretary of State; 82nd Texas Legislature, Passed Senate Bill 14; Three-judge panel in federal district court, Denied judicial preclearance
District Judge Jeth Jones ruled that Galveston Independent School District must display Ten Commandments posters in all classrooms within 10 days. This was a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton against the school district for violating state law SB10, enacted in June 2025.
District Judge Jeth Jones, Judge who issued the ruling; Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General who sued the school district; Galveston Independent School District, School district ordered to display Ten Commandments posters and 2 more
Federal prosecutors charged Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28, a Venezuelan delivery driver, with assaulting a federal officer after he was shot in his car by an ICE agent in Austin on September 20. Prosecutors allege Garces Perez struck an officer with his side mirror while attempting to drive away.
Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, Venezuelan delivery driver shot by ICE agent; Federal prosecutors, Filed assault charge