(*) I did search on the Supreme Court webpage for Paxtons mandamus filing, which might have been more specific and thus answered my questions. Yet, the way the (Texas Public Information Act) is written, no one except those involved in the underlying lawsuit can get access to the public information.. & Resolutions, Corporate Harris County Attorneys Office1019 Congress, 15th FloorHouston, TX 77002, Harris County Attorney's Office Staff Directory. When the Texas Election Networks canvassing efforts in Sunnyside came to light in early July, County Attorney Christian Menefees office said it was investigating this issue and exploring legal options to protect residents and prevent this from happening again., Asked about the status of the investigation this week, county attorney spokesperson Roxanne Werner said, Although we have not found any further activity by this group, we are continuing to monitor the situation and will take action if appropriate. While the provisional ballots are included in the official count certified by Commissioners Court, the Supreme Court also is ordering the county to include in the final canvassed results a separate report that details the votes of the later cast votes for each candidate in each race. That way, candidates can determine whether this group of ballots would change the outcome of their race and assess the extent to which further litigation is warranted.. . The complaint, and more background onLongoria v Paxton,ishere. What would I like to see happen at this point? Judge Walker is represented by John Raley.
Public Information Requests - Houston Stan Stanart is represented by Elizabeth Alvarez. Adding huge swaths of concrete is the opposite of what Houston needs, Houstonian Joy Fairchild said during a public hearing for TxDOTsUnified Transportation Program. (lost to Judge Manpreet Monica Singh), Mark Goldberg, former candidate forHarris County Criminal Court at Law No. Fortunately, we know how to handle these types in fact, many of our clients have been shocked to learn that their investigations have been closed with zero civil or criminal liability. 3 Cause No. Greg Abbotts executive order prohibiting local authorities from issuing COVID-19 restrictions, such as mask and vaccine mandates. And theres nothing in the law that prohibits them from being counted, Menefee said. Minutes, Corporate He urged the county to proceed with the lawsuit, rather than relent. So many things to say, so Ill bullet-point it: This is different from the ridiculous election contest filed in HD135 by a candidate that lost by 15 points and over 6,000 votes. The Harris County Attorneys office on Thursday said it is looking into allegations a grass-roots group knocked on doors in Sunnyside and attempted to get residents to sign affidavits verifying the identities of registered voters living at their addresses. She is the first woman to be elected County Judge and only the second to be elected to the Commissioners Court. In no uncertain terms, the secretary of states office which isrun by a Republicanappointed by Gov. Not much else to say at this time for 2024, but I will note that at least some of the Democratic judges whose election is being challenged by a sore loser are raising funds for their legal defense. 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. Andy Taylor, general counsel for the Harris County GOP, is representing Lunceford. Phony Defunding Claims II: Electric Boogaloo. The bottleneck of design differences that has divided officials about remaking Interstate 45 north of downtown Houston is easing, officials said Monday, clearing the way for construction on the $10 billion project, perhaps in less than two years.
Harris County Attorney Letter // Get FREE Letter Templates (Print or That link takes you here, and while the in-person fundraiser mentioned there is now over, the Donate link remains. This section is responsible for receiving and processing incoming customer requests including purchasing copies and reports and filing documents in existing cases (causes). r/magic8ball I wish this was a thing and not a dead sub with one post. One reason for the expected slow count Tuesday is the Harris County Republican Partys decision to break with the countys ballot delivery plan, according to Harris County Elections Administrator Isabel Longoria. Letters have a maximum word . I doubt theres an agreement that satisfies everyone, but there are definitely options that do a better job of minimizing harm and promoting equity. 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. Our hospital system will operate at a $45 million deficit, Hidalgo said. The challenges were first reported by The New York Times, which found the affidavits disputed the eligibility of more than 6,000 voters. Oh, and if this is one of the final straws that leads to Constable precinct redistricting, I wont complain. An additional $10 collection fee will be added to each invoice referred to collections, as approved by Harris County Commissioners Court in September 2020. An election judge is the person in charge of running a voting location. 2023-00924; Elizabeth Buss v. Judge David Fleischer. They noted many of the details give TxDOT room to renege while others fall short of the changes some neighborhood advocates had sought. His math was wrong then and its wrong now.. Hegars claim is a repeat of a fight thatalready played outbetween the comptroller and Harris County last August. Paxton and one of the district attorneys (Shawn Dick of Williamson County) appealed.
Garland and Haines Send Letter to Congress Urging Section 702 Im pretty sure this is not what antitrust law was intended for, but what do I know? They saw it as a chance to win long-sought relief for people who have suffered from batch plants. This case will focus on the details of every aspect of the November 8 election in Harris County. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee said the county would challenge Hegars finding in court if necessary. 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. If a spouse has taken the time and money to retain a lawyer, it means they are serious. January 2022 reports are here, July 2022 reports are here. Though planned for nearly 20 years, concerns intensified five years ago, when groups such as Air Alliance Houston, LINKHouston and Stop TxDOT I-45 organized toargue highway officials should focus more on improving transitand avoid any additional freeway widening. 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. The amended complaint was filed on Monday, December 27. The letters of guardianship provide an expiration date on their face, one year plus 120 days after the anniversary date. Harris County voters are in for a long election night, with full election results in primary runoff races not expected until well into Wednesday. 2023-01202; Stan Stanart v. Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth. Most big law firms have people fly coach now unless a business class seat is the only thing available. I was employed by {Name of the company} for {Number} years until I was suddenly and without explanation fired from my job last month. Luncefords opponent, Democrat Tamika Craft, won the election by 0.26 percent of the vote. It is an omnibus law, containing the provision challenged inLongoria v. Paxtonas well as restrictions on other aspects of voting and elections. But due to a change in state law, you only have until March 8 to make a contribution. 4.
What Does The District Attorney Send Letters For Joe Danna, Sheriff The deals, however, also give TxDOT room to consider alternatives that reduce the number of homes and businesses displaced, but also do not hold them to any specific reductions. It could also ask voters to approve the funding reduction in a referendum, Hegar said. . Agreements, Corporate The clerk told me I had wrote a bad check for $16.00 and with Attorny Fee's it's now $86.00 shocked to hear the charge..I asked for details on the check she said she can't not give me that info only as to the business name who sent check to them. CLUBS IN ACTION is trying to raise 95K to donate to them. Anyone who ran into a problem at one location could have gone to another. This group also litigates matters regarding real property, which includes the Countys acquisition of property through the power of eminent domain, declaratory judgments and inverse condemnations. U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez last week halted enforcement of a provision of Senate Bill 1 that made it a crime for election officials to solicit mail-in ballots. I really dont think thats too much to ask. Doing nothing is identical to telling the other lawyer take me to court.. We have a ways to go before this is truly settled. It doesnt make any sense outside of, obviously, cynical partisanship and these targeted actions against Harris County, the most diverse county in the state Mirza said. Danna 1,983 19,814 18,452 982
So, until I hear otherwise, it is my contention that these provisional ballots are not enough to alter any races result, and also that this doesnt matter because all of the ballots should be counted. 20 Cause No. Estate, Public 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). In Independence Heights, the first city incorporated by Black residents in Texas, the project proposes drainage improvements to alleviate persistent flooding in the area. In the 18-page filing to the Texas Supreme Court around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, the local Republican party says despite assurances that election officials have it under control, state election law and past experience make them wary to hand over ballots to emissaries so they can ferry to a central location. With fewer people needing bail bonds because fewer people were being assessed bail, bail bond companies saw their revenues decline and so they looked for new customers by lowering their fees so as to entice those who were still being required to pay bail but couldnt afford their fees. I am taking the following steps to comply with the letter and spirit of Section 171.004. In the interim, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Garcia, who both were outspoken about the need for changes to the design, were reelected. We still need to know what all these details are, and I definitely agree that there is room for TxDOT to weasel out on a lot of promises. They asked Biery to rule no later than Feb. 14, noting that to cast a mail-in ballot in the primaries, voters must fill out and return an application between Jan. 1 and Feb. 18. If the name sounds familiar, it may be because Judge Peeples was the jurist who ruled that the abortion bounty hunter law SB8 violated the state constitution last December, though he did not issue a statewide injunction against it. Thats what I, a non-lawyer who has no responsibilities in these matters, would have done. Estimated tocost at least $9.7 billion, the project would rebuild I-45 from downtown Houston north to Beltway 8, adding two managed lanes in each direction. "Hello Freind, My name is John Odagu, County Attorney for your county. It could all be a moot point by then anyway.. The letter, from the law firm Odelson, Sterk, Murphey, Frazer & McGrath is addressed to five of the 11 candidates for ethics board: David Carrabotta, Lisa Emmett Stechman, David Laske, Joy Alfonsi . 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. We have multiple locations at which anyone can vote precisely as a hedge against problems at any one specific location. 2. Templates, Name Hiring or retaining a lawyer is simply too expensive. Their presence allows us to view a case from both points of view the defense and the prosecution. It will only work when communication between the parties is good enough for them to engage in a discussion without arguments, no serious power imbalance between the parties exist, and full transparency of financial matters is available.
Harris County Attorneys - LII Texas Attorney Directory - Cornell University 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. What horrible crime could OP have committed to receive an envelope full of glitter? But I have always believed that one way or another this was going to happen, so any improvements or modifications to the original plan have to be considered with that in mind. This one was filed on December 10, and if there was any news coverage of it I am not able to find it. James Slattery, senior staff attorney with the Texas Civil Rights Project, said for the average voter, the organizations name, badge and paperwork could convey a sense of an official visit by the government without explicitly doing so. UPDATE: The Trib story also references 2,000 ballots, which does not help clear up my confusion. I for one dont see any difference between the two. Customer Service provides assistance related to criminal, civil and family cases (causes). Of course the [Texas Supreme Court] proceedings remain pending and the court could rule on something. Looking on the Electronic Filings search, I think this case is number 22-1044. A new Texas law that keeps local election officials from encouraging voters to request mail-in ballots likely violates the First Amendment, a federal judge ruled late Friday. . Which makes this entire spectacle little more than a plea for attention and a waste of everyones time. I'm clueless as to what this could be about and I apologize if this isn't the best place to ask this question but I'm rather worried at this point. Theres apparently some talk of a compromise, which would need to happen soon, but Ill believe it when I see it. Become a member to support the independent voice of Houston 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. 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. (S or C-Corps), Articles However, Gerald Birnberg, an elections attorney and General Counsel to the Harris County Democratic Party, questioned the Secretary of States logic, pointing out that its own office deputizes others to perform certain duties. Notes, Premarital Name Change, Buy/Sell Please turn on JavaScript and try again. The Real Estate Practice Group handles legal matters regarding the Countys acquisitions and sales of real property. 12(lost to Judge Genesis Draper), Brian Staley, former candidate forHarris County Civil County Court at Law No. Is it limited to demanding submission of an application for mail-in ballots (whether or not the applicant qualifies) or does it broadly cover the kinds of comments Plaintiffs stated that they wish to make: telling those who are elderly or disabled, for example, that they have the opportunity to apply for mail-in ballots? Judge Sepolio is represented by John Raley.
County Attorney > Contact - Harris County, Texas 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. I dont know how likely that is, but it never hurts to talk. Templates, Name Carla Wyatt, County Treasurer, Alexandra Mealer, County Judge The Harris County Attorney's Office fights for the interests of Harris County through the civil justice system to preserve access to clean air and water; ensure safe, healthy neighborhoods; protect consumers against fraud, exploitation, and other bad acts; and defend voting rights. . Amendments, Corporate 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. 18 Cause No. Harris County Commissioners Court on Thursday voted to sueTexas Comptroller GlennHegars office in response to hiscomments accusing the countyof defunding law enforcement. Respondents are directed to conduct the canvass of the November 2022 election as required by the Election Code. County Judge Lina Hidalgo had little to report after the session but said the county attorneys office is researching options. The Compliance Practice Group specializes in lawsuits for debt collection and enforcement of laws that protect the interest of Harris County. They couldnt hold out forever theres a lot of pressure to make I-45 renovation and expansion happen and no one gets everything they want in a negotiation. A Republican is going to win during the primary election. Thats a somewhat complicated headline for this. Judge Lina Hidalgo is the head of Harris County's governing body. 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 Election Administrators office notified Republican election judges they could opt in to the countys plan if they wished, and at least 31 of them did so. That doesnt mean the Legislature wants resources to be used toward nudging people toward voting by mail.. Former officer Gerald Goines led a raid on the home, which police believed to. The Harris County GOP on Fridaydroppedits lawsuit, filed on the day of last months primary runoff election, challenging the countys plan for counting ballots. Seems like theres not that much in dispute, but theres always something. In an interview Tuesday, Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee said that about 2,100 provisional ballots cast after 7 p.m. Election Day should be counted. Of those, Shah said, 66 were rejected because they did not meet statutory requirements and contained incomplete information.. Operating Agreements, Employment Mr. The county's position on his determination that the county defunded the Precinct 5 Constable's Office has not changed. The Texas Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Harris County can include about 2,100 ballots cast during an extra hour of Election Day voting when officials certify the midterm results. UPDATE: Heres a later version of the story about the GOPs lawsuit over the results delivery process. However, the hyperlink for that case didnt work when I tried it, and searching for the case via that number returned no results. Meeting Request Use this link to request a meeting with the County Attorney. Thank you for your time and consideration. And, yet, thats not the way its breaking.. On the other side of that, you can see that Judge Hidalgo left it all on the field. That included an 88-year-old voter whom Morgan would typically call at the start of every year to remind her that she has to reapply for mail-in ballots. Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey, the lone Republican on the court, voted against the measure. The Harris County Bail Bond Board, on its second attempt, passed a rule that made the ten percent minimum a requirement, and in response a bail bond company owner filed a lawsuit to stop it. Tatum, your day of reckoning has just started.. The information contained in this site was valid at the time of posting. The article is paywalled, but I got to see a Google doc copy of it. Theft, Personal 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. Christian D. Menefee (@CDMenefee) 4:44 PM 17 February 2022. . In response to each of the requests for public information, the elections office responded by seeking an opinion from the Texas Attorney Generals office allowing it to withhold the information due to ongoing litigation, the lawsuit states. I cannot begin to fathom the pain and loss they are experiencing. i know understandably literally nobody is in the mood to hear about primary runoff election night but i am at NRG arena & feel compelled to tell you that so many people are working very hard (here and across the state) to get votes counted tonight, Jen Rice (@jen_rice_) 10:04 PM 24 May 2022. In a statement, Menefee confirmed his office will file a lawsuit against Hegar. None of that will stop the Fifth Circuit from doing what the Republicans ask them to do since thats what they believe their job is, but at least he tried. I'm curious about what people think--should OP accept delivery? Not to my knowledge. Icsezen did so. Rory Olsen is represented by Jared Woodfill. The bail board, as the lawsuit points out, is designed to oversee the bonding business in Harris County. As part of the canvass, respondents are ordered to separately identify in the vote tabulations the number of later cast votes for each candidate in each race and for or against each proposition, so that candidates, the parties, and this Court may ascertain whether the later cast votes would be outcome-determinative and so that the parties can assess the extent to which further litigation is warranted. The Statesman has a couple of key bits from the ruling: In his order, Rodriguez rejected Paxtons argument that the solicitation ban targets government speech, which isnt protected by the First Amendment because the state is allowed to regulate how public employees perform official duties. In other words, please find me the people who showed up to vote at a location that was having paper problems, and did not wait for them to be fixed, did not go to another location, did not come back later, and as a result did not vote. Last time around, Hegar folded like a cheap suit after Harris County took the matter to court. Under state law, ballots should be delivered by either the election judge or an election clerk designated by that judge. The mayor announced Thursday that Arturo G. Michel is returning to government as City Attorney for the City of Houston. Premiums are, in some cases, documented in the public record.
The county and Claibornes lawyers are expected later on Friday to debate whether a temporary restraining order and injunction should be granted. 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. (S or C-Corps), Articles 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. The Chron story, from a bit later in the day, has more details.
Why Would I Receive A Letter From Harris County Attorney Harris Countys decision to allow volunteers to transport election records including voted ballots to the countys Central Count location on Election Night is incompatible with the Texas Election Code and violates well-established chain of custody protocols spelled out under Texas law, Texas Secretary of State spokesperson Sam Taylor said in a statement on Friday. If you make a mistake, print out and complete application again (once youve registered an account every document you download is reusable). 17 Cause No. In 2017, the Republican-dominated Texas Legislature evenamended state lawto specify 22 months, updating state standards to mirror federal requirements. Additional Losing Candidates File Election Contests in Harris County.
Office of Harris County District Clerk - Marilyn Burgess | Customer Service Menefee said Paxtons opinion directly contradicts a separate opinion his office issued last month, as well as an opinion issued by the AGs office more than 30 years ago, which both concluded that ballots are confidential for 22 months following an election. See here and here for the background. solicit[] the submission of an application to vote by mail from a person who did not request an application. The civil-liability provision creates a civil penalty for an election official who is employed by or an office of the state and who violates a provision of the election code. Tom Ramsey, County Commissioner, Precinct 3
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 . Their complaints, filed with the EPA earlier this year, said TCEQ failed to provide information in Spanish and insufficiently protected communities of color who live in areas where concrete facilities are predominantly located. 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 Account, Forms in 1 provision no later than February 14, 2022. My question for you all, is this pretty much done deal that I'm getting fined and going to jail? 13 Cause No. Although the scope of Rodriguezs preliminary injunction is limited, the judge dealt the first legal blow to new elections restrictions and voting changes Republican lawmakers enacted last year. I point this out to say that barring something truly weird, Paxtons bad faith filing will not can not have any effect on any race. Its just illogical to me, and this is a part of the story that nobody talks about.. Aaron Adams is represented by Elizabeth Alvarez. You can also contribute to any candidate you like directly just google them or find their campaign Facebook page to get to a suitable Donate link for them. Think about sending the document to your legal counsel to make certain all things are completed properly. As the highest-ranking election official in Harris County, Im responsible for enabling the countys millions of voters to exercise their right to cast a lawful ballot, many of whom face obstacles to voting in person due to illness, disability, or age. This affects no one accused of the most minor, nonviolent offenses who would be stuck in jail because they arent able to pay.. In 2022, the county passed a shortened seven-month budget that was in effect until the new schedule began in October.