In fact, the first time any concerns were raised occurred during a public meeting May 11 at the Election Committee Hearing by the Secretary of States Office. Check out how to write a Harris County attorney letter. Regarding the temporary restraining order request getting rejected, Kevin Pennell the plaintiffs lawyer said in an email Friday he had no comment. Harris County Justice of the Peace Court Forms - Downloadable forms for small claims cases, eviction, and criminal matters heard by Justices of the Peace. So if I understand this correctly, the Elections Office could provide these documents on demand, but legally they dont have to until they get an opinion on it from the AGs office. Nor does it require that election officials start soliciting applications to vote by mail it simply prevents the imposition of criminal and civil penalties against officials for encouraging people to vote by mail if they are eligible to do so, Rodriguez wrote. Divorce, Separation Adding huge swaths of concrete is the opposite of what Houston needs, Houstonian Joy Fairchild said during a public hearing for TxDOTsUnified Transportation Program. Oh, and if this is one of the final straws that leads to Constable precinct redistricting, I wont complain. There is no valid justification for such a one-sided restriction on speech.. Just like what happened in Bell County (won by Greg Abbott 59.04% to 39.52%, in case you were curious), which the AG has accepted as fact. Last year, TCEQ approved an amendment that included exemptions for emission limitations for concrete batch plants, in response to an application to construct a plant by a Fort Worth concrete company. Hes going to have to weigh all that.. Work demands keep most lawyers in private practice from frequent or lengthy vacations. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo on Thursday issued a mandatory mask order for Harris County schools and daycares, joining the chorus of elected officials in the Texas larges cities in defying Gov. The SOS raised no concerns, legal or otherwise, with the program. She is the first woman to be elected County Judge and only the second to be elected to the Commissioners Court. Agreements, Corporate Handling of the voted ballots themselves opens up the possibility of accidental or intentional damage or misplacement that could call into question the election after the fact.. Alexander Mealer is represented by Elizabeth Alvarez. 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. We expect TxDOT to uphold its end of this historic agreement, and not only to evaluate the impacts over the next year but to agree to and fund real solutions that address concerns about displacement, pollution, flooding and impacts on the public transportation network, said Harris County Pct. Houston, Texas (October 20, 2022) Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo, and Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner sent a joint letter to the United States Department of Justice Civil Rights Division requesting that federal monitors be sent to Harris County for the November 2022 election. If even one is bounced, Abbott could appoint a replacement for those in the criminal courts. Do NOT delete this post and create a new post with the requested information. Voting, Board See here for the background, and here for a copy of the ruling. The Brennan Center, Weil, and the Harris County Attorneys Office are seeking the injunction on behalf of Isabel Longoria, the Election Administrator for Harris County, Texas; and the Brennan Center and Weil are also representing Cathy Morgan, a volunteer election worker in Texas. In a statement, Longoria said: In April, the EAs Office discussed the May 7 law enforcement and county driver program with the Secretary of States Offices Managing Attorney of the Elections Division, specifically requesting guidance and recommendations. Instead, hes basically taking this power and turning it into a mechanism to tie local officials hands. Sometimes if you sign up for trustee (work while in jail) they give you and extra days credit. The request drew a fast rebuke from Democratic Party leaders and Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee. Im pleased with the courts decision today to reject the request for a temporary restraining order that would have blocked this rule from being implemented.. . 12 Cause No. Menefee said Harris County had received more than three dozen requests to inspect ballots since Paxton issued his opinion. To make its case, Mealers legal team will have to find evidence that more than 18,000 voters were unable to cast ballots on Election Day, and that all of those voters planned to vote for Mealer, Stein said. These election contests are frivolous attempts to overturn the votes of more than a million residents in the third largest county in the country. 9 Cause No. If you need to write a similar letter. The county will now have to spend substantial resources handling these contests, time that could instead be spent serving the people of Harris County, added County Attorney Menefee. Theft, Personal We have 26-pay-period accounting and Comptroller Hegar should know that, the judge said. Its deeply annoying that we have to do this as a reminder, these cases are stinking piles of nothing and the losers pursuing them damn well know it but its where we are. The Republicans picked the judges with some of the smallest accounts. But they could if they are willing to do so.. We expect TxDOT to work alongside us to achieve the same. I am seeking legal representation in a civil case that I plan to file against my former employer. Agreements, LLC Judge Lawton-Evans is represented by Anthony Drumheller. The root cause of that debate, however, remains unresolved, Hegar said in the statement, referring to the defunding spat from last fall. See here and here for some background about the litigation that allowed polling locations to remain open until 8 PM. It could all be a moot point by then anyway.. Democratic AGs file lawsuit to ease access to mifepristone, Former Land Commissioners oppose anti-Open Beaches bill, So it looks like that TEA takeover of HISD is going to happen, So about that DPS delay in notifying the victims of the credential stuffing attack, Superintendant House speaks about the looming TEA takeover Off the Kuff, Life at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center, Ramblings of an HHSC Employee amidst chaos, They are Building a Wal-Mart on My Street. This is one of the precise situations I have been most worried about this election people in shadowy volunteer groups who suggest in one way or another that they are acting under official authority questioning the eligibility of voters directly by knocking on their doors, Slattery said. We have a ways to go before this is truly settled. His math is wrong. One of his top staffers ran against Judge Hidalgo in the 2022 Dem primary, and I imagine there will be some kind of response to that. Sandlin 38,580 28,502 0 79,998 Greg Abbotts executive order prohibiting local authorities from issuing COVID-19 restrictions, such as mask and vaccine mandates. If you see it clear to forward me $1000 to cover the locksmith, I will egarly give you 20% of any monies recoverd." [deleted] 8 yr. ago What is troubling everybodyand apparently troubling the attorney general who wants to give a definition of solicitation that Im not aware existing in any criminal codeis the absurd result that someone could be held criminally liable for encouraging their fellow citizen to vote, Morales-Doyle said. There were 2,555 provisional ballots cast on Election Day, of which 2,420 included a vote in the DaSean Jones Tami Pierce race. She is 1 of 17 elected Harris County Dem. Will do! More than 1 million Texans used vote-by-mail during the 2020 presidential election and more than 850,000 of those ballots came from people 65 and older, according to the Texas Division of Elections. See here (scroll down) for the background. So lets think about this instead: . 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. I cannot begin to fathom the pain and loss they are experiencing. In 2017, the Republican-dominated Texas Legislature evenamended state lawto specify 22 months, updating state standards to mirror federal requirements. 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. 2023-00841; Tami Pierce v. Judge DaSean Jones. 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. 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. Its the motion for preliminary injunction, filed on Tuesday the 28th, for which I received a press release from the Harris County Attorneys office, which in turn led me to find the linked article from the Brennan Center (and this Twitter thread), that is trying to make something happen more quickly. If a spouse has taken the time and money to retain a lawyer, it means they are serious. But the states highest civil court also ordered Harris County to determine whether those late-cast ballots would affect the outcome of any races and kept alive Attorney General Ken Paxtons challenge to counting them. At a May 11 hearing with the state House Elections Committee to address delayed election results, Longoria argued the plan utilizing law enforcement officers and deputized staffers is in compliance with Texas law. But due to a change in state law, you only have until March 8 to make a contribution. Once again, Comptroller Hegar has abused his authority, the county attorney said. The criminal division prosecutes criminal cases. And completely out of the blue. Icsezen interpreted this to mean that they werent allowed to observe the SVC, checked his interpretation with the Harris County Attorney, which approved his decision, and turned the poll watcher away. Specialist legal advice should be taken in relation to specific circumstances. https://mailchi.mp/3860a20fae8b/we-need-your-help?e=cf7bb2b770&fbclid=IwAR3bf6Pdu4mhPHiTnPDtpzT361sMx5VyDAxSnUXy7qM7EbTLGfZabSUiT4w, Clubs in Action PAC (@CIAHTX) 8:32 PM 27 February 2023. In a Nov. 29 letter from FHWA Chief Counsel Andrew Rogers, federal officials said recent discussions represent a good start but set parameters for any design work to proceed. 14 Cause No. webcomments@hctx.net. Have I got that right? Harris County gives 3 for one on non-violent offense but not DWI or BMV. As the Harris County Attorney, Christian D. Menefee is the chief civil lawyer for the largest county in Texas. There are apparently 2,100 provisional Election Day ballots in question, out of 2,555 total E-Day provisionals and 2,420 that included a vote in this race. According to the petition filed Monday night,Wayne Dolcefino, a media consultant and former TV journalist,submitted multiple requests for public information on behalf of the Gallery Furniture owner, who was a major donor supporting Republican candidates including County Judge LinaHidalgos opponent Alexandra del Moral Mealer. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg during a press conference Wednesday, July 1, 2020, in Houston. They noted many of the details give TxDOT room to renege while others fall short of the changes some neighborhood advocates had sought. Morales-Doyle said that Morgan began the case with a reasonable fear of prosecution and while the state has indicated a disinclination to prosecute she does not know the position of the Travis County district attorney, nor what future district attorneys would do. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee says the county is not releasing the ballots, arguing the opinion Paxton issued in the name of election integrity last week runs afoul of the law. Sylvia Trevino, Constable Precinct 6 Agreements, Letter 2023-01076; Aaron Adams v. Judge LaShawn Williams. Hani Mirza, legal director of the Texas Civil Rights Projects voting rights program, was part of the team that sought the court order extending voting hours this year. After spending months at loggerheads, but working on some consensus, the Texas Department of Transportation committed to a handful of concessions, such as increasing the money it will pay the Houston Housing Authority for relocation and development of affordable housing, and assurances to design the project as much within the current freeway footprint as possible. Divorce, Separation The plaintiffs are Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria and Cathy Morgan, a volunteer deputy registrar who assists people with mail-in ballots in Travis and Williamson counties. DWI 2nd will get credit only for 2 for 1. Create your US Legal Forms account now and get a lot more samples. The county attorneys office did not respond to a request for more information about the requests, including who submitted them. The Supreme Court is occasionally solicitous of the First Amendment, if it approves of the speech in question, so who knows what they might do. Forms, Independent for Deed, Promissory Vips Support Documents and Useful Resource Links . I cant tell if this is just using a round number because exact figures are confusing or if this is the exact figure. It comes as no surprise, then, to discover that most lawyers (58 per cent) get between 20 and 25 days of paid holiday (excluding bank holidays) a year, while the bulk of the rest (33 per cent) get between 26 and 30 days. As noted recently, there are other obstacles to the project, though perhaps if Harris County and TxDOT can settle their differences, those can be handled as well. Andy Taylor, general counsel for the Harris County GOP, is representing Lunceford. For example, is the definition narrowly limited to seeking application for violative mail-in ballots? Im extremely doubtful that there is a legitimate legal challenge here, Stein said. County election officials around the state are already reporting getting a bunch of requests, some of which appear to be part of a coordinated effort. Which makes this entire spectacle little more than a plea for attention and a waste of everyones time. Judge Sepolio is represented by John Raley. Along those lines, I note two potential future Constable candidates: Don Dinh, a Deputy Constable in Precinct 1 since 2020 who was for 24 years before that a sergeant in the Fort Bend County Precinct 2 Constables office, filed a designation of treasurer to run for Constable in Precinct 5. 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. Nile Copeland is represented by Elizabeth Alvarez. There is no justification for denying the public information about a controversy just because it involves litigation, Aleshire said. Im fine with this approach if theres a path to meeting the needs of the many people and groups that have been objecting to the design of this project, then sure, lets go for it but I wouldnt get my hopes up too much. The travel time alone for the attorneys will be in the thousands when ZOOM meetings are not allowed! I for one dont see any difference between the two. Hilton declined to comment on why the office did not ask for the ruling sooner. With voters walking into polling places and ballots set to arrive at NRG Arena in a few hours, Harris Countys Republican Party has challenged the process election officials will use to transfer ballots from locations to the central counting center, citing concerns with handing the machines over to anyone but precinct judges. I believe that I was wrongfully terminated, and I am seeking compensation for the damages that I have incurred as a result of my wrongful termination. Thank you for your help! One thing thats clear from the high % of mail ballot app rejections weve seen is officials should be empowered to explain the process and encourage folks to vote by mail. Theres absolutely no justification for this state and federal law are clear, and nothing has changed about them. Aaron Adams is represented by Elizabeth Alvarez. Violators are subject to a fine between $300 -$500, can be taken to court, as well as have a warrant issued for their arrest for breaking Chapter 28 of Houston's code of ordinances. I would retain a lawyer and do not talk to any police officers. Thats what we need to aim for. Amendments, Corporate Its going to be Republican versus Republican, Renteria said. 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. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. You never know.