Latest news with #SupremeCourtofTexas
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
No Sanctuary For Stash Houses: Texas Court Backs Paxton's Border Crackdown
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton won a significant legal victory at the state's highest court, clearing the path for his lawsuit against a border aid organization to proceed. The Supreme Court of Texas overturned a lower court injunction that had halted Paxton's prosecution of Annunciation House, an El Paso nonprofit accused of illegally harboring undocumented immigrants. 'Today is a great victory for Texas, secure borders, and the rule of law,' Paxton said in a press release following the ruling. 'Annunciation House has flagrantly violated our laws by harboring illegal aliens and assisting them to enter further into our country.' The case stems from a 2024 lawsuit filed by Paxton's office against the El Paso-based organization. The Attorney General alleges the group operates as a 'stash house' in violation of Texas Penal Code provisions. Paxton's legal team built its case on what it describes as substantial public evidence and employee admissions. They argue that these revelations demonstrate systematic law violations by the nonprofit organization. An El Paso County district judge initially granted Annunciation House's request for an injunction, effectively halting the state's legal action against the Catholic-affiliated aid group. The state Supreme Court's decision addressed more than just procedural matters. Justices explicitly rejected claims that Paxton targeted the organization because of its religious connections. The high court found 'no evidence to support' accusations of religious discrimination in the case. Justices also reminded the trial court to presume the Attorney General acted in 'good faith' and with 'legality.' Paxton vowed to continue his enforcement efforts against similar organizations. 'I will do everything in my power to stop them and any other NGO breaking our laws,' he stated. Amy Warr, an attorney for Annunciation House, argued before the Texas Supreme Court that the religious organization has not broken any laws and has never hidden immigrants from law enforcement officers. She claimed that Paxton's attack against the nongovernmental organization is just anti-immigration political rhetoric, the El Paso Times reported. The ruling represents another chapter in ongoing tensions over immigration enforcement along the Texas-Mexico border. Humanitarian aid organizations are frequently caught between federal immigration policy and state-level prosecution efforts. With the injunction lifted, the case returns to the trial court level. Annunciation House will face the underlying criminal allegations in proceedings that can now proceed.
Business Wire
06-05-2025
- Business Wire
Supreme Court of Texas Issues Unanimous Ruling in Favor of Houston Mother in Landmark Parental Rights Case
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Supreme Court of Texas has issued a unanimous opinion protecting parental rights in the landmark case of a Houston woman whose parental rights were effectively terminated via a lifetime protective order. The ruling reverses a judgment handed down by a Harris County district court judge in 2020 that granted a lifetime protective order against Christine Stary on behalf of her three minor children. The order came about five months after Ms. Stary was accused of injuring her youngest child in an incident at her home, but criminal charges stemming from the incident were dismissed. Holly Draper, CEO and managing partner of The Draper Law Firm, represented Ms. Stary before the state's highest court in tandem with former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman, on behalf of the Family Freedom Project, which works on legislation and cases that impact the right of families to raise their children. Ms. Draper argued that the order granted against Ms. Stary violated her client's constitutional rights because it prohibited her from having any contact with her children forever without meeting the required level of evidence. Ms. Stary also was barred from raising evidence of domestic violence committed by her ex-husband. The Supreme Court's opinion delivered by Justice Jane Bland says in part, "We hold that constitutional due process requires clear and convincing evidence to support a protective order prohibiting contact between a parent and her children under the statute authorizing protective orders of longer than two years." Ms. Draper said, 'My client lost almost five years of time with her children due to this unconstitutional protective order, and she can never get that back. She is thrilled with the court's ruling and looks forward to the opportunity to build back a relationship with her children. With this ruling, no parent will have their rights terminated without the constitutionally protected standard of clear and convincing evidence.' You can read the Supreme Court of Texas opinion on this case here. About The Draper Law Firm The Draper Law Firm is a family law boutique in North Texas. Its attorneys handle family law cases in all DFW counties and represent family law clients in appeals statewide. The firm previously prevailed in the Supreme Court of Texas in one of the biggest parental rights cases in Texas history, In re C.J.C. To learn more, visit
