Court says Ken Paxton's case against Austin and Travis County for issuing New Year's curfew is moot,
Court says Ken Paxton's case against Austin and Travis County for issuing New Year's curfew is moot, dismisses case
by Reese Oxner, Texas Tribune
An Austin court on Thursday dismissed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons appeal challenging Travis County and Austins New Years holiday curfew, months after it ended in a perhaps symbolic win for local officials.
The 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin dismissed Paxtons appeal on technical grounds. The case is moot, Justice Gisela Triana wrote in the court's opinion, because the events already passed and Paxtons appeal is contingent on future and uncertain events. The courts lone Republican justice dissented.
While its been months since New Years, Paxton argued the case wasnt moot and asked the court to prevent Austin and Travis or other local authorities from issuing similar orders in the future. The court refused.
The courts decision comes months after Austin and Travis Countys order went into effect. Because a trial court refused to immediately end the restrictions as Paxton requested, the city and county were able to enforce the restrictions during the holiday something local officials and health experts counted as a win. The Texas Supreme Court later blocked the curfew from continuing.
Read more:
https://www.texastribune.org/2021/04/08/ken-paxton-new-years-austin-curfew/