Y’all will recall back in December 1987 when the CBS show “60 Minutes” went hammer and tong after the Supreme Court of Texas. Something about justice for sale. Justices deciding cases in direct proportion to the campaign contributions of the winners. Bad stuff.
Blawgletter wonders whether history has started to repeat itself. A local television station in Dallas, WFAA, last night broadcast a segment on how long Their Honors take to render their opinions. A few months earlier, the Dallas daily newspaper, The Dallas Morning News, published an investigative article on how often the Court’s rulings favor big business. Plus three justices have drawn attention for using campaign funds — possibly illegally — to pay for tons of travel. And Texas Watch fairly sprays saliva in its earnest enthusiasm to tell one and all how slow, anti-plaintiff, pro-defendant, and downright arrogant the justices have become in the post-Ann Richards era of Republican political domination.
We’ve pondered whether the Court hates class actions. Also why it now issues so many per curiam opinions and summary rulings without hearing oral argument. Any thoughts, y’all?
