Texas Supreme Court Update May 2025

The following are summaries of selected opinions issued by the Texas Supreme Court in March and April 2025. These summaries are prepared by court staff as a courtesy. They are not a substitute for the actual opinions. The summaries are overviews; please review the entire opinions.

Inaugural Austin Bar Golf Tournament a Hole-in-One

The Austin Bar Association hosted its inaugural golf tournament on April 9 at Lions Municipal Golf Course. Nearly 60 players took part – players whose golfing skill ranged from beginner to experienced. 

2025 Annual Bench Bar Conference a Success

The 2025 Austin Bar and AYLA Bench Bar Conference took place on April 11 at the Hotel Viata. Nearly 180 attendees took part in the day-long CLE presentations. Of particular note was the session put on by Third Court of Appeals Justices Chari Kelly and Rosa Lopez Theofanis, which was standing room only as they talked about 10 things that will get your case reversed.

An Ode to Quiet Activism

Mr. Rogers once said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” In these uncertain times that quote rings true more than ever.

Richard Pena Honored for His Military Service

Former Austin Bar President Richard Pena was honored for his military service in Vietnam by a Texas veterans program.
The Texoma Hero Program is a joint project of U.S. Army veteran Billy Teague and HOT 107.3 FM in Sherman, Texas. The program has recognized local and regional veterans for their service since 2015.

Revolutionizing School Safety at SXSW

SXSW is a week-long conference and festival held in Austin each year that celebrates the convergence of film, music, tech, education, and culture. Because Hollywood A-listers tend to be the focus of the news during SXSW, I was surprised, and excited, to be invited to a technology school-safety exhibition.

Third Court of Appeals Civil Update May 2025

The following are summaries of selected civil opinions issued by the Third Court of Appeals during March 2025. The summaries are an overview; please review the entire opinion. Subsequent histories are current as of April 9, 2025. 

Third Court of Appeals Criminal Update

The following is a summary of a selected criminal opinion issued by the Third Court of Appeals from November 2024. The summary is an overview; please review the entire opinion. The subsequent history is current as of April 4, 2025.

Federal Civil Update May 2025

The following are summaries of selected civil opinions issued by the Fifth Circuit in March 2025. The summaries are overviews of particular aspects of the opinions; please review the entire opinions.