Third Court of Appeals Hosts Delegation from Egypt

On July 13, 2023 the Third Court of Appeals hosted a delegation of Egyptian judges as part of the U.S. State Department’s International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP). The IVLP is the State Department’s premier professional exchange program and connects current and emerging foreign leaders with their American counterparts through short-term visits to the United States. The justices visited and discussed their respective …

Cultivating Diverse Leadership in the Bar

Immediate Past President of the Austin Bar Association Amanda Arriaga will participate in a panel discussion on cultivating and retaining diverse leaders in bar associations on Sept. 20, 2023. Arriaga served as Austin Bar president for 2022-23 and was its first Latina president. The panel discussion is being put on by the National Conference of Bar Presidents. Joining Arriaga in …

New Law Establishes Communication Guidelines for Police, Crime Labs

House Bill 4628 was passed by the 88th Texas Legislature and establishes clear communication requirements between law enforcement and forensics labs. The bill went into effect Sept. 1, and requires crime labs to notify a law enforcement agency within 30 days when they obtain a match from DNA or other forensic evidence. Within five business days of this first notification, …

Decriminalizing Mental Health in Travis County: Part 2

This is the second in a series of eight articles about the Travis County Forensic Mental Health Project. The Travis County Forensic Mental Health Project delivered its recommendations to the Travis County Commissioners in March 2023. The goal of these recommendations is to provide solutions other than jail to address mental health and substance abuse disorders in the county. Recommendation …

Two Bills Endorsed by Chief Justice Hecht Signed Into Law

Two of the bills Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan L. Hecht endorsed in his State of the Judiciary address on April 5, 2023, passed during the 88th Texas Legislative Session. The first, House Bill 19, relates “to the creation of a specialty trial court to hear certain cases; authorizing fees.” Specifically, the bill calls this the “Business Court.” The …

Texas Bans Investigators from Using Hypnosis to Obtain Testimony

The 88th Texas Legislature passed a bill that makes hypnosis-induced statements from being introduced as evidence in criminal trials. Senate Bill 338 took effect on Sept. 1, 2023. The bill defines investigative hypnosis as a law enforcement technique using hypnosis to enhance a witness’s recall of an event, including descriptions of people, conversations, and the environment. This is the second …

Amicus Briefs Filed in Support of Texas Man on Death Row for Daughter’s Death

Austin attorney Gretchen Sims Sween in May 2023 filed a petition for a writ of certiorari asking the U.S. Supreme Court to conduct plenary review or summarily reverse the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals’ decision in January to uphold the conviction of Robert Roberson. In 2002, Roberson was charged with capital murder in the death of his two-year-old daughter, Nikki. …

Briefs September 2023

Congratulations to Perkins Coie LLP for being named one of the best places to work by Austin Business Journal. Based out of Seattle, Washington, the Austin office is managed by Andrew Smetana. Congratulations to Robert O’Keefe, who recently started a mediation practice. Robert has mediated a variety of commercial disputes and stands ready to help parties reach a resolution. He …

2023 Austin Bar 100 Club Members – Thank You!

The Austin Bar Association is proud to recognize our 2023 Austin Bar 100 Club Members. The following firms, government agencies, organizations/schools, and corporate legal departments have 100 percent membership in the Austin Bar. The Austin Bar 100 Club is a distinguished membership that reflects a commitment to the advancement of the legal profession and involvement in the community. The Austin …