When First Amendment Rights Collide
By Karen Monsen
“Merry Christmas!” “Happy Hanukkah!”
These are the words that, if spoken in a school setting, some say will spark litigation. They certainly sparked the Texas Legislature to take action. During the 2013 legislative session, Governor
Rick Perry signed the Merry Christmas Bill into law, permitting teachers to use traditional holiday phrases and symbols in school without incurring liability. “It’s a shame that a bill like this...
In March, Texas Supreme Court Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson presented his State of the Judiciary speech before the 83rd Texas Legislature in Austin. Earlier this month, Disputing published the entire text of his speech in a series of three posts. (Part I, Part II, and Part III.) Since that time, a number of bills influenced by the Chief Justice’s State of the Judiciary speech were signed into law.
Here is a summary:
Basic Civil Legal Services – The Chief Justice encouraged...
