Texans for Lawsuit Reform

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In the News

Kim Ogg accuses Commissioners Court of ‘defunding’ DA’s office, asks for $6M more

Houston Chronicle, March 22, 2022

Harris County’s budget is less than two months old, but already District Attorney Kim Ogg is fighting for more funding, saying more money in some respects has not abated a crisis in recruiting prosecutors.

“Every day you delay me in hiring lawyers … is a delay to crime victims,” Ogg told Harris County Commissioners Court on Tuesday.

Delay, however, is exactly what the court opted for, as members — already divided over spending for the district attorney’s office and other law enforcement agencies — failed to agree on the specifics of the budget and whether Ogg had other funds she could tap.

“I am not comfortable hearing two different sets of facts,” Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia said.

Seeking $6.17 million for hiring and raises, Ogg lashed out at the county’s budget management department for tightening purse strings and reducing her salary spending, something budget officials disputed.

“Like any business, we have to have a budget and stick with it,” County Administrator David Berry said. “That is Fiscal Responsibility 101.”

Berry and others noted the district attorney’s office has 24 funded, open positions it can hire for, and prosecutors have not lost any money, and, in fact, received additional money as part of the county’s budget, approved Feb. 8.

Ogg’s office, meanwhile, argued it cannot hire staff with temporary jobs — many positions are funded only for two years — especially experienced lawyers ready for trial.

“No one is going to quit their job, close their businesses up to come for two years and try cases,” said Vivian King, chief of staff for the district attorney’s office.

The squabble over spending and salaries is a continuation of an ongoing fight between the court’s two Republican members — Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey and Precinct 4’s Jack Cagle — and the majority Democrats — Garcia, Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis and County Judge Lina Hidalgo. Ramsey and Cagle have decried what they consider inadequate law enforcement and prosecutor budgets.

“We did not fund what the DA asked for; let’s be clear about that,” Ramsey said of the current budget.

Ellis and Hidalgo have noted the budget plan supported by Cagle and Ramsey wold have gutted other county departments to fulfill everything Ogg and Sheriff Ed Gonzalez had requested.

The effect, however, is a crumbling law enforcement system, Ogg said.

“We have been defunded and it must stop,” she said.

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Texans for Lawsuit Reform

35 minutes ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

In case you missed it - 15 Harris County judges resolved fewer felony cases during the pandemic, and all 23 courts have more pending cases now than when the COVID epidemic began. As of March, there were over 48,000 pending active cases in Criminal District Court. Read and share: bit.ly/3yeuPc7 ... See MoreSee Less

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'Do your job,' victim tells judge in Harris County's slowest court

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Fifteen judges resolved fewer felony cases during the pandemic and all 23 courts have more pending cases now than when the pandemic began. Harris County Judge Ramona Franklin, of the 338th Criminal Di...
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Texans for Lawsuit Reform

1 day ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

The Dallas County DA argued a judge’s impartiality could reasonably be questioned after she lowered a defendant’s bail considerably while his defense lawyer is one of her top campaign contributors, and then raised his bail after media reports about her rulings. Read and share: bit.ly/3lfQMzM ... See MoreSee Less

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Dallas judge under scrutiny for bail rulings recuses herself from cases

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Judge Chika Anyiam, of Criminal District Court 7, recused herself Monday from 10 felony cases against Julio Guerrero. A Dallas County judge who faced public scrutiny for lowering a murder suspect’s ...
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Tar And Feather

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

2 days ago

Texans for Lawsuit Reform

TLR General Counsel Lee Parsley joined the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform podcast to discuss nuclear verdicts in the trucking industry and what legislators can do to ensure that excessive lawsuits don't shut down this vital industry. Listen and share: bit.ly/3wjgKJ9 ... See MoreSee Less

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Nuclear Verdicts Create Litigation "Vortex" for Trucking Industry

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In this episode of Cause for Action, Nathan Morris, senior vice president, legal reform advocacy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform, is joined by Lee Parsley, the general couns...
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lawsuitreform avatarTLR@lawsuitreform·
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Want to make a difference in the fight against lawsuit abuse? Join the TLR team today! #stoplawsuitabuse

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lawsuitreform avatarTLR@lawsuitreform·
18 May 1526956133377789952

The Dallas County DA argued a judge’s impartiality could be questioned after she lowered a defendant’s bail while his defense lawyer is one of her top campaign contributors and then raised his bail after media reports about her rulings. Read & RT:

Dallas judge under scrutiny for bail rulings recuses herself from cases

Judge Chika Anyiam, of Criminal District Court 7, recused herself Monday from 10 felony cases against Julio Guerrero. A Dallas County judge who faced ...

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17 May 1526684119077371904

TLR is working to make the Texas legal system fair, efficient, and accessible for all. Learn more: #tortreform

About - Texans for Lawsuit Reform

TLR's objective is to restore litigation to its traditional and appropriate role in our society. A lawsuit takes a heavy emotional and financial toll ...

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Texans for Lawsuit Reform
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Ph. 713-963-9363
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