AAS 10/14/08Dissent blocked in DeLay case, justice says
Accusation is latest twist in already political legal battle.By Laylan Copelin
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
A 3rd Court of Appeals justice is accusing Chief Justice Ken Law of refusing to file her dissent in a politically charged case involving two associates of former U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.
Justice Jan Patterson, a Democrat, is asking the Texas Supreme Court to intervene. She claims that Law, a Republican who's up for re-election, blocked the filing of her dissent to last week's ruling on whether fellow Justice Alan Waldrop, also a Republican, should step aside in the money-laundering case involving DeLay's associates.
It's the latest twist in a legal battle that's already been marked by infighting among the appeals court judges.
Law did not respond to a request for comment. Patterson declined to comment beyond her filing.
Republican shenanigans at the Third Court of Appeals. Unfortunately with the Texas Supreme Court completely in the hand of republicans, I'm sure it won't get a fair hearing there either.
This is why the courts matter, folks!
Sonia