Supreme Court of Texas Blog

No. 18-0068
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WARNER BROS. ENTERTAINMENT, INC.; WARNER BROS. TECHNICAL OPERATIONS, INC. D/B/A WARNER BROS. ADVANCED DIGITAL SERVICES; TMZ PRODUCTIONS, INC.; EHM PRODUCTION, INC. D/B/A TMZ; TMZ.COM; AND ELIZABETH MCKERNAN v. ROBERT JONES

Oral argument was held on September 19, 2019. The Court issued an opinion resolving the case on May 8, 2020. It then denied rehearing on October 2, 2020 File Closed

In the news...

Tracking 2 articles about this case.

May 8, 2020

Orders of May 8, 2020

from SCOTXblog

The Court has issued opinions:

September 16, 2019

Oral arguments begin for the 2020 Term

from SCOTXblog

This article also mentions 9 other cases.

Opinions

May 8, 2020

Guzman
Lehrmann
Devine
Busby
Bland

Justice Guzman delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Justice Lehrmann, Justice Devine, Justice Busby, and Justice Bland joined. PDF

Hecht
Green
Blacklock

Chief Justice Hecht delivered a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Green and Justice Blacklock joined. PDF

 

Court of Appeals

Appellate District:3rd Court of Appeals
Outcome Below:Aff/Rev & Rend/Rev & Rem
COA Docket No.:03-16-00009-CV
Opinion Author:Honorable Cindy Olson Bourland

Trial Court

Trial Court:126th District Court
County:Travis
Trial Judge:Honorable Amy Clark-Meachum
Trial Docket:D-1-GN-15-002342

Entries on SCOTX Orders Lists

Docket Entries

Date Event Outcome  
2020-10-02 Mandate issued  
2020-10-02 Motion for Rehearing - Disposed   Denied with Justice not sitting.
  This case was waiting for a decision about a pending motion for rehearing between August 7, 2020 and October 2, 2020.  
2020-08-07 Amicus Curiae Brief received  
2020-07-10 Motion for Rehearing
2020-07-10 Case forwarded to Court
2020-05-26 Motion for Extension of Time to File Motion for Rehearing disposed   Filing granted
2020-05-22 Motion for Extension of Time to File Motion for Rehearing  
2020-05-08 Dissenting opinion issued.   Issued
2020-05-08 Opinion issued   Court of Appeals' judgment affirmed/remanded to trial court
2020-05-08 Court approved judgment sent to attorneys of record Issued
  This case was awaiting the Court's decision after oral argument between October 21, 2019 and May 8, 2020.  
2019-10-21 Post submission brief filed (Petitioner)  
2019-10-02 Post submission brief filed (Respondent)  
2019-09-25 Post submission brief filed (Petitioner)  
2019-09-19 Oral argument  
2019-09-17 Amicus Curiae Brief received  
2019-09-13 Submission Schedule
2019-08-21 Oral Argument Submission Form from Attorney received  
2019-08-21 Oral Argument Submission Form from Attorney received  
2019-08-07 Motion to Withdraw Filed  
2019-08-07 Motion to withdraw disposed of   Filing granted
2019-06-28 Petition for Review disposed Filing granted
2019-06-28 Case set for oral argument   Case set for oral argument
2019-06-28 Petition for Review granted
  This case was pending on merits briefs between February 8, 2019 and June 28, 2019.  
2019-02-08 Reply Brief (Petitioner)  
2019-01-15 Motion for Extension of Time disposed.   Filing granted
2019-01-15 Motion for Extension of Time to File Brief filed  
2019-01-10 Brief on the Merits (Respondent)  
2018-12-18 Motion for Extension of Time disposed.   Filing granted
2018-12-17 Motion for Extension of Time to File Brief filed  
2018-11-20 Motion for Extension of Time disposed.   Filing granted
2018-11-19 Motion for Extension of Time to File Brief filed  
2018-10-31 Brief on the Merits (Petitioner)  
2018-09-17 Motion for Extension of Time disposed.   Filing granted
2018-09-17 Motion for Extension of Time to File Brief filed  
2018-09-17 Case Record Filed  
2018-09-06 Record Requested in Petition for Review  
2018-08-31 Brief on the Merits Requested  
2018-07-13 Amicus Curiae Brief received  
2018-07-10 Reply to Response (Petitioner)  
2018-06-20 Motion to Extend Time to File Reply filed  
2018-06-20 MET to file reply disposed of   Filing granted
2018-06-11 Response to Petition (Respondent)  
2018-05-11 Supreme Court of Texas Requested Response  
2018-04-10 Case forwarded to Court
2018-03-07 Petition for Review (Petitioner)  
2018-01-29 Motion for Extension of Time to File Petition for Review disposed   Filing granted
2018-01-29 Motion for Extension of Time to File Petition for Review filed  

Parties

Party Counsel Role
TMZ.com
Mr. Peter Carl Hansen
Mr. Joshua A. Romero
Mr. Charles L. Babcock
Petitioner
Warner Bros. Technical Operations, Inc. d/b/a Warner Bros. Advanced Digital Services
Mr. Peter Carl Hansen
Mr. Charles L. Babcock
Mr. Joshua A. Romero
Petitioner
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.
Mr. Peter Carl Hansen
Mr. Charles L. Babcock
Mr. Joshua A. Romero
Petitioner
TMZ Productions, Inc.
Mr. Peter Carl Hansen
Mr. Joshua A. Romero
Mr. Charles L. Babcock
Petitioner
McKernan, Elizabeth
Mr. Peter Carl Hansen
Mr. Charles L. Babcock
Mr. Joshua A. Romero
Petitioner
Jones, Robert
Mr. Ben C. Broocks
Mr. Alan B. Daughtry
Respondent
EHM Productions Inc. d/b/a TMZ
Mr. Peter Carl Hansen
Mr. Charles L. Babcock
Mr. Joshua A. Romero
Petitioner

Amici Curiae

Amicus Curiae Counsel
The Texas Association of Broadcasters
Mr. Marc A. Fuller
Mr. Nicholas B. Bacarisse
Devin L. Kerns
Mr. Wallace B. Jefferson
Mr. Thomas S. Leatherbury
The Texas Press Association
Mr. Thomas S. Leatherbury
Devin L. Kerns
Mr. Marc A. Fuller
Mr. Nicholas B. Bacarisse
Mr. Wallace B. Jefferson
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Devin L. Kerns
Mr. Thomas S. Leatherbury
Mr. Marc A. Fuller
The Reporters Committe for Freedom of the Press
Devin L. Kerns
Mr. Thomas S. Leatherbury
Mr. Marc A. Fuller
Mr. Nicholas B. Bacarisse
Mr. Wallace B. Jefferson
Graham Media Group
Devin L. Kerns
Mr. Thomas S. Leatherbury
Mr. Marc A. Fuller
Mr. Nicholas B. Bacarisse
Mr. Wallace B. Jefferson
Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
Devin L. Kerns
Mr. Thomas S. Leatherbury
Mr. Marc A. Fuller
The Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas
Mr. Thomas S. Leatherbury
Devin L. Kerns
Mr. Marc A. Fuller
Pro Publica, Inc.
Devin L. Kerns
Mr. Thomas S. Leatherbury
Mr. Marc A. Fuller
The Austin American-Statesman
Mr. Thomas S. Leatherbury
Devin L. Kerns
Mr. Marc A. Fuller
The Dallas Morning News, Inc.
Devin L. Kerns
Mr. Thomas S. Leatherbury
Mr. Marc A. Fuller
The New York Times Company
Devin L. Kerns
Mr. Thomas S. Leatherbury
Mr. Marc A. Fuller
Gannett Co, Inc.
Mr. Thomas S. Leatherbury
Devin L. Kerns
Mr. Marc A. Fuller
Zoanni, Stephanie
Mr. Harry Herzog
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