Opinions

Chief Justice Hecht delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Justice Boyd, Justice Devine, Justice Blacklock, Justice Busby, Justice Bland, Justice Huddle, and Justice Young joined. PDF

Justice Lehrmann filed a dissenting opinion. View Electronic Briefs | Oral Argument PDF

Justice Young filed a concurring opinion. PDF

Justice Blacklock filed a concurring opinion, in which Justice Devine joined. PDF

Court of Appeals

Appellate District:	3rd Court of Appeals
Outcome Below:	Affirmed
COA Docket No.:	03-21-00305-CV
Opinion Author:	Honorable Thomas John Baker

Trial Court

Trial Court:	459th District Court
County:	Travis
Trial Judge:	Honorable Jan Soifer
Trial Docket:	D-1-GN-20-003926

Date	Event	Outcome
2024-08-12	Mandate issued
2024-06-28	Concurring Opinion issued.	Issued
2024-06-28	Court approved judgment sent to attorneys of record	Issued
2024-06-28	Opinion issued	Court of Appeals' judgment affirm and reverse in part; remand to court of appeals
2024-06-28	Concurring Opinion issued.	Issued
2024-06-28	Dissenting opinion issued.	Issued
	This case was awaiting the Court's decision after oral argument between November 1, 2023 and June 28, 2024.
2023-11-01	Call received
2023-10-30	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-30	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-30	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-30	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-30	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-30	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-27	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-27	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-27	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-27	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-27	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-27	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-26	Call received
2023-10-26	Phone call from Clerk's Office
2023-10-25	Phone call from Clerk's Office
2023-10-25	Oral argument
2023-10-25	Amicus Curiae Brief received
2023-10-25	Electronic communication sent to Party
2023-10-23	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-23	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-23	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-23	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-23	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-23	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-23	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-23	Call received
2023-10-23	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-23	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-23	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-23	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-23	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-20	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-20	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-20	Exhibits in case/cause filed (Respondent)
2023-10-20	Call received
2023-10-20	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-20	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-20	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-20	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-20	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-20	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-20	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-20	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-20	Pro hac vice motion filed
2023-10-20	Pro hac vice motion disposed	Filing granted
2023-10-18	Call received
2023-10-18	Amicus Curiae Brief received
2023-10-18	Amicus Curiae Brief received
2023-10-17	Amicus Curiae Brief received
2023-10-04	Clerk's Record
	This case was waiting for oral argument between July 11, 2023 and October 4, 2023.
2023-07-11	Letter Filed
2023-07-10	Oral Argument Submission Form from Attorney received
2023-07-06	Letter Filed
2023-07-01	Oral Argument Submission Form from Attorney received
2023-06-30	Case set for oral argument	Case set for oral argument
2023-06-23	Petition for Review disposed	Filing granted
2023-06-23	Petition for Review granted
2023-06-05	Notice from attorney regarding vacation dates
2023-05-22	Reply Brief (Petitioner)
2023-05-22	Call received
2023-05-15	Motion for Extension of Time disposed.	Filing granted
2023-05-12	Motion for Extension of Time to File Brief filed
2023-05-01	Brief on the Merits (Respondent)
2023-04-10	Brief on the Merits (Petitioner)
2023-03-27	Call received
2023-03-27	Clerk's Record
2023-03-27	Court reporter/recorder's record
2023-03-10	Brief on the Merits Requested
2023-02-01	Reply to Response (Petitioner)
2023-01-24	Case forwarded to Court
2023-01-18	Electronic communication sent to Party
2023-01-17	Response to Petition (Respondent)
2022-12-19	Petition for Review (Petitioner)

Party	Counsel	Role
Gary L. Steel, and Katy P. Ward, in their official capacities as Members of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct	Honorable Douglas S. Lang Mr. John J. 'Mike' McKetta III Mr. David R. Schleicher	Respondent
Frederick C. Tate, in his official capacity as Secretary of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct; and David C. Hall, David M. Petronella, Sujeeth B. Draksharam, Ronald E. Bunch, Valerie Ertz, M. Patrick Maguire, Clifton Roberson, Lucy M. Hebron	Mr. John J. 'Mike' McKetta III Mr. David R. Schleicher Honorable Douglas S. Lang	Respondent
David Schenck, in his official capacity as Chair of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct; Janis Hold, in her official capacity as Vice-Chair of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct;	Mr. John J. 'Mike' McKetta III Honorable Douglas S. Lang Mr. David R. Schleicher	Respondent
State Commission on Judicial Conduct	Mr. Roland K. Johnson Mr. John J. 'Mike' McKetta III Mr. David R. Schleicher Honorable Douglas S. Lang Mr. Ross Reyes	Respondent
Hensley, Dianne	Mr. Hiram S. Sasser III Mr. Kelly J. Shackelford Mr. Jonathan F. Mitchell Mr. Justin Butterfield	Petitioner

Amicus Curiae	Counsel
Christian Legal Society	Thomas C. Berg Steven T. McFarland Laura Nammo Mr. Douglas Laycock
Laycock, Douglas	 
Berg, Thomas C.	 
The Thomas More Society and Texas Values	Erick Kaardal Joan Mannix Mr. Thomas Brejcha Mr. Jonathan M. Saenz Mr. Martin Whittaker
Conservative Legal Defense and Education Fund	Mr. Joseph Paul Secola Mr. J. Mark Brewer
LONANG Institute	Mr. Joseph Paul Secola Mr. J. Mark Brewer
Public Advocate of the United States	Mr. J. Mark Brewer Mr. Joseph Paul Secola
America's Future	Mr. Joseph Paul Secola Mr. J. Mark Brewer
Pacific Justice Institute and National Legal Foundation	James A. Davids Frederick W. Claybrook Junior Steven W. Fitschen Ms. Emily K. Cook
U.S. Constitutional Rights Legal Defense Fund	Mr. Joseph Paul Secola Mr. J. Mark Brewer