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Appellate court blocks district court order for Abbott records access

The Fifteenth Court of Appeals issued a stay temporarily blocking a district court order that would have granted Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gina Hinojosa access to more than 1,300 pages of unredacted communications between Gov. Greg Abbott and Elon Musk. Abbott has petitioned to dismiss the case.

Where
Statewide
When
Oct. 28, 2026
Sources
Reported by 3 outlets

Taxes and money

None stated in sources.

Does this affect you?

Coming up

  • Tuesday, November 10, 2026. Appellate court deadline for Hinojosa to respond to Abbott's petition to dismiss2

Who's involved

  • Fifteenth Court of Appealsissued stay blocking district court order
  • Greg AbbottRepublican governor, defendant in lawsuit
  • Gina HinojosaDemocratic gubernatorial candidate, plaintiff in lawsuit
  • Catherine MauzyTravis County District Judge who ordered records disclosure
  • Andrew MahalerisGovernor's press secretary

The facts

  • Fifteenth Court of Appeals blocked district court order allowing Hinojosa access to more than 1,300 pages of unredacted communications between Abbott and Musk.1 2 Stated by 2 sources
  • Travis County District Judge Catherine Mauzy had ordered governor's office to allow Hinojosa to read communications.2
  • The communications allegedly involve Musk's Texas business interests, school tax breaks, broadband infrastructure, and state grants.2
  • Hinojosa's state representative term expires January 12, 2027.2
  • Abbott petitioned to dismiss the case, with appellate court requesting response from Hinojosa by November 10.2

Who said what

These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.

  • Gina Hinojosa The people have the right to transparency, and that's why I'm continuing to fight for the documents.2
  • Andrew Mahaleris, Governor's press secretary This was a sham lawsuit in a rigged district court; appellate court rightly froze this abuse of process.2
  • Abbott's office District court's order would have allowed Hinojosa to use her office to violate state public records laws.2

Where the sources disagree

  • Whether district court judge's order properly followed law or constituted abuse of process Judge Mauzy ordered disclosure [2]; Abbott's office called it illegal fishing expedition and abuse of process [2]; appellate court's stay suggests appellate panel disagreed with district court [2]

How they headlined it

The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.

Sources

Outlets: 2 not rated Who's covering Texas →

These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.

  1. Appellate court rules in favor of Abbott days before election The Black Chronicle Not rated, October 28, 2026
  2. Appeals Court Rules in Favor of Abbott in Hinojosa Records Request Case Texas Scorecard Not rated, October 28, 2026

Also reported by The Moore County News-Press, Just The News.

This sheet was written by AI from the sources above and adds nothing they don't state. Read the originals for full context.

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Supreme Court asked to uphold Big Bend border wall construction injunction

Plaintiffs challenging a border wall project in Big Bend asked the Supreme Court to uphold a temporary injunction halting construction. The Trump administration seeks to overturn the lower court order. The dispute centers on environmental waivers issued by Homeland Security officials under a 1996 law.

Eric Glitzenstein, Counsel for plaintiffs; Trump administration, Defendant, petitioned Supreme Court to overturn injunction; Kristi Noem, Then-Homeland Security Secretary, issued waivers and 3 more

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

Fifth Circuit hears free speech case on UT campus speech curfew

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in a free speech case challenging Texas Senate Bill 2972, which requires UT System campuses to restrict expressive activities from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. and during the last two weeks of each semester. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression sued on behalf of student organizations including Fellowship of Christian Students at UT Dallas, challenging the law as unconstitutional. The lower court had halted enforcement of the restrictions.

Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, Plaintiff suing on behalf of student organizations; Fellowship of Christian University Students at UT Dallas, Named plaintiff in lawsuit; University of Texas System, Defendant appealing lower court ruling and 2 more

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

Capital murder trial begins for Shane James in Austin shootings

Testimony began Thursday in the capital murder trial of Shane James, who is accused of killing six people and injuring three others during shootings in December 2023. His defense team plans to pursue an insanity defense.

Shane James, defendant accused of capital murder; Phyllis James, victim, Shane James' mother; Shane James Sr., victim, Shane James' father

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

U.S. District Judge Ada Brown under investigation for racial comments to lawyer

Attorney Ezra Young filed a misconduct complaint against U.S. District Judge Ada Brown of the Northern District of Texas after an April 2026 hearing in Dallas during which she repeatedly made racial comments to him. A judicial investigation resulted in Brown temporarily losing her docket, and a special judicial committee ordered her to undergo psychiatric examination.

Ezra Young, Attorney who filed misconduct complaint; U.S. District Judge Ada Brown, Federal judge under investigation; Special judicial committee, Ordered psychiatric examination

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

Brazos County judge dismisses Texas A&M basketball player Griffen's NCAA eligibility lawsuit

A Brazos County judge dismissed Rylan Griffen's lawsuit against the NCAA seeking a fifth year of eligibility. The judge sustained the NCAA's argument that the court lacks jurisdiction because the NCAA is headquartered in Indiana and took no action in Texas.

Rylan Griffen, Texas A&M men's basketball player; Judge John Brick, Brazos County judge; NCAA, defendant and 2 more

Reported by 3 outletsFound via Google News

Chaparral man sentenced to 15 years for deadly New Year's Day crash

Abel Garcia, a 48-year-old from Chaparral, New Mexico, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for a January 1 crash in El Paso that killed an 18-year-old woman and injured her boyfriend. Garcia pleaded guilty to intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle.

Abel Garcia, defendant; sentenced to 15 years in prison; Angelique Diaz De Leon, killed in crash; Nicholas Ramirez, injured in crash and 1 more

Reported by 3 outletsOnly left-leaning outlets reported thisFound via Google News

Federal judge sentences San Antonio man to 15 years for methamphetamine trafficking

A San Antonio man pleaded guilty to possessing more than 500 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 15 years and 10 months in prison. He arranged for drivers to deliver drugs hidden in vehicle compartments from Mexico.

Alfredo Landin, defendant; Fred Biery, U.S. District Judge; Justin Simmons, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas and 2 more

Reported by 2 outletsFound via Google News

Judge orders group behind trans mailers to answer questions under oath

Travis County District Judge Jan Soifer ruled that the Texas Transgender Student Union, a Wyoming-registered group, must sit for depositions this week to answer questions about mailers and text messages sent in the name of the Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT). The mailers and texts, sent without TENT's permission, promoted transgender youth resources to Texas voters.

Travis County District Judge Jan Soifer, Judge who issued the ruling; Transgender Education Network of Texas (TENT), Nonprofit organization that filed the petition and sought depositions; Texas Transgender Student Union, Wyoming-registered group ordered to sit for depositions and 3 more

Reported by 8 outletsOnly left-leaning outlets reported thisFound via Google News

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