Legislative Watch 2007
With the legislature in session here in Austin, the buzz has begun. A number of potential bills, if filed and passed, would affect appellate practitioners dramatically. Here is a summary of what could be on the agenda for this session:
- an amendment to the general interlocutory appeal statute authorizing appellate review of all controlling questions of law at the will of any party;
- an amendment to the Texas Arbitration Act providing for a meaningful appeal on questions of law or fact in arbitration proceedings;
- an omnibus court reorganization statute that would combine the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals or reduce the number of justices from 9 to 7 on each court;
- appellate redistricting (which could include the demise of the Corpus Christi, El Paso, and Texarkana appellate courts) and elimination of overlapping appellate districts; and
- providing the Texas Supreme Court with discretionary jurisdiction in appeals of all final judgments and appealable interlocutory orders.
