Texas

The state of Texas is the second largest in the US by area, and population. With nearly 270,000 sq.miles in area, and over 28 million residents living in the state, the south-central state shares borders with Louisiana, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. It is also bordered by Mexican states and the Gulf of Mexico. Houston is the state’s most populous city and 4th most populous city in the country. It was admitted as the 28th state into the union on December 29, 1845.

Texas’ economy was driven by four-prominent industries prior to WWII including cattling, timber, oil, and cotton. The discovery of oil deposits in the state led to the economic boom and was the main driving force in the state throughout the 20th century. Since 2002 Texas has been the leading state in the US in exports, and maintains the second highest GDP in the nation. Today the state is a leading producer in oil, is one of the leading states in government jobs in the tech industry, and has one of the largest economies throughout the US and worldwide.

The government of Texas was set up by the Texas Constitution, and consists of a unitary democratic state government operating under a presidential system that uses the Dillon Rule, as well as governments at the county and municipal levels.  The Dillon Rule is  a legal principle that local governments have limited authority, and can pass ordinances only in areas where they have been granted authority by the larger state government.  The executive branch of the Texas state government includes the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Comptroller of Public Accounts, Land Commissioner, Attorney General, Agriculture Commissioner, the three-member Texas Railroad Commission, the State Board of Education, and the Secretary of State.   The system in Texas limits the power of the Governor, as each executive branch member (with the exception of the Secretary of State) are elected independently.

Much like the federal government, the legislature of Texas has two houses-the Texas House of Representatives and the Senate.  Again, like the federal government, the Speaker of the House leads the House of Representatives, and the Lieutenant Governor leads the Senate. 

Texas boasts one of the most complicated judicial systems in the country.  The system is described in Article 5 of the Texas Constitution and is further defined by statute, in particular the Texas Government Code and the Texas Probate Code.  The system is complicated by multiple levels and overlapping jurisdictions, with different courts often sharing courthouses.  The court levels are: The Supreme Court, Court of Criminal Appeals, Courts of Appeals, District Courts, Probate Courts, Constitutional County Courts, Statutory County Courts at Law, Municipal Courts and the Justice of the Peace Courts.

The National Law Review covers several stories from the state of Texas and the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Cases and stories related to telemedicine and healthcare in the state, data and cybersecurity laws, labor and employment laws, paid sick leave, insurance law, bankruptcy and tax cases, are among the different areas of law visitors will find, as they relate to Texas, on the National Law Review site.

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Jan
7
2022
Immigration Weekly Round-Up: Remain in Mexico Program Continues Despite Legal Appeals; New Jersey Supporting Refugees from Afghanistan Norris McLaughlin P.A.
Jan
7
2022
When it Rains, It Pours: Proposed Texas Commission on Environmental Quality Rule Could Make Compliance Harder After a Catastrophe Foley & Lardner LLP
Jan
6
2022
Asked & Answered: GT’s Labor & Employment Podcast Episodes 3 and 4: Texas Labor & Employment Laws: The New Normal - Parts 1 and 2 [PODCAST] Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Jan
2
2022
Court Holds That Probate Court Had Jurisdiction Over Inter Vivos Trust Dispute And That A Beneficiary Waived A Complaint About A “No Liability” Order For A Trustee Winstead
Dec
30
2021
Not So Fast! How Poor Planning Can Doom Your Chapter 11 Filing Nelson Mullins
Dec
29
2021
TCEQ Proposes Changes to Compliance History Rules Focused on Industrial Incidents Hunton Andrews Kurth
Dec
18
2021
CMS Vaccine Rule’s Status (and Fate) Lands in the Supreme Court of the United States Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Dec
17
2021
Court Reverses Temporary Injunction Order Where The Order Failed To Include Reasons For Its Issuance And A Trial Date Winstead
Dec
15
2021
Bankruptcy and Environmental Law: Overview and Latest Trends Bracewell LLP
Dec
14
2021
The Federal Government Vaccine Mandate’s Impact on Colleges and Universities Winstead
Dec
14
2021
Texas Catches Up to the #MeToo Movement with New Legislation Katz Banks Kumin LLP
Dec
13
2021
Update on Texas Executive Order GA-40 (Regarding COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates) Foley & Lardner LLP
Dec
10
2021
Amid Abortion Uncertainty, Supreme Court Rejects Attempts to Evade Judicial Review: SCOTUS Today Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.
Dec
6
2021
Healthcare Agreements – Key Issues Impacting the Enforceability of Non-Compete Clauses for Texas Physicians Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Dec
5
2021
EPA Awards Inter Tribal Council of Arizona $1,581,000 to Protect Children from Lead in Drinking Water U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Nov
24
2021
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year… for a Drone Light Show Robinson & Cole LLP
Nov
19
2021
Court Affirms Decision That Executor Applicant Was Unsuitable For That Position Winstead
Nov
19
2021
Court’s Order Ending Family Allowance To Decedent’s Wife Was Reversed Due To A Lack Of Notice To The Wife Winstead
Nov
15
2021
Multistate Regulatory Action a Significant Reminder that Insurers Must Only Conduct Business with Licensed TPAs Polsinelli PC
Nov
12
2021
Out with Lonergan, In with Spearin: Texas Legislature Provides Contractors with Limited Protection for Defective Plans and Designs Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
Nov
11
2021
The Delta-8 Debacle: Looking at Texas’s (Temporarily) Failed Attempt to Make Delta-8 Products Illegal Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
Nov
9
2021
Reeves County District Court Rules in Favor of Oil & Gas Operator in Produced Water Dispute Bracewell LLP
Nov
5
2021
Plant-Based Food Labeling Legislative Update Norris McLaughlin P.A.
Nov
5
2021
The Energizer – Volume 99 K&L Gates
Oct
28
2021
Governor Abbott Issues Executive Order Prohibiting Vaccine Mandates in Texas Hunton Andrews Kurth
Oct
28
2021
Judge Albright Issues Updated Standing Order for Patent Cases McDermott Will & Emery
Oct
25
2021
Texas’ Third Special Legislative Session Ends Without Any Expansion of Governor Abbott’s “Vaccine Mandate Ban” Executive Order Polsinelli PC
Oct
22
2021
Court Holds That Trust Owned Mineral Interests And Not The Settlor’s Wife Winstead
Oct
22
2021
Court Reverses Receivership In Trust Dispute Where It Failed To Require The Applicant To Post A Bond Winstead
Oct
19
2021
Recent Amendments to State Breach Notification Laws Polsinelli PC
Oct
18
2021
Vaccine Mandates And Vaccine Bans – Clues On Where This Ends And Making Decisions In The Interim Foley & Lardner LLP
Oct
18
2021
Texas Bill Restricting Transgender Student-Athlete Sports Participation About to Become Law Jackson Lewis P.C.
Oct
15
2021
Beltway Buzz, October 15, 2021 Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Oct
14
2021
Texas Executive Order to Prohibit COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Foley & Lardner LLP
Oct
14
2021
COVID Confusion: Texas Governor Issues Executive Order Effectively Banning Vaccine Mandates Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
Oct
14
2021
State Seeks Dismissal Of Federal Court Challenge To California Quota Laws Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP
Oct
13
2021
Governor Abbott’s Newest Executive Order Restricts Texas Employers’ Ability To Impose Vaccine Mandates Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.
Oct
13
2021
COVID-19: Texas Governor Issues Executive Order Broadening Exemptions to Covid-19 Vaccinations Mandates—Where Do Employers Go from Here? K&L Gates
Oct
12
2021
New Texas Executive Order Bans Vaccine Mandates for Private Employers Polsinelli PC
Oct
12
2021
Texas Governor Issues Executive Order Significantly Limiting the Ability of Many Employers to Mandate Vaccines Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Oct
12
2021
Texas Governor Issues Executive Order Aimed at Prohibiting Vaccine Mandates for Private Employers Proskauer Rose LLP
Oct
11
2021
Texas Tackles Sexual Harassment by Placing Liability on Individual Members of Management Foley & Lardner LLP
Oct
11
2021
Court Reversed Trial Court On Interpretation Of Trust Regarding Per Stirpes Versus Per Capita Distributions Winstead
Oct
11
2021
A New Book Of Exodus Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis LLP
Oct
11
2021
Court Holds That Promissory Note Did Not Allow Partial Conversion To Equity Winstead
Oct
8
2021
New Way to Pay Day Rate: 5th Circuit Rules on FLSA Day Rate Overtime Exemption Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
Oct
7
2021
The New Rules (Part 2): Restrictions on the Duty to Defend for Architects and Engineers Bracewell LLP
Sep
30
2021
Custom Servers Pin Netflix In the Eastern District of Texas Mintz
Sep
30
2021
New Sex Harassment Laws: Making for Strange Bedfellows in Construction Industry Jackson Lewis P.C.
Sep
27
2021
Court Holds That Shareholder Derivative Suit May Proceed Against An Officer Without A Pre-Suit Demand Where The Case Involved A Closely-Held Corporation Winstead
 

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