[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6310156,"mediaKeyId","2404470-f0340bd144eeefccb6e44c9a1514c670","parentId",2404470,"title","Texas chief justice urges repeal of Family Code provision and calls for more affordable legal services","audioSeconds",155,"startMs",2410000,"endMs",2565000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2404470-f0340bd144eeefccb6e44c9a1514c670&start=2410&end=2565","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2404470-f0340bd144eeefccb6e44c9a1514c670/thumbnail_2410000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6310156/Texas/Texas-chief-justice-urges-repeal-of-Family-Code-provision-and-calls-for-more-affordable-legal-services","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6310156-970f4059e9a5455028b2d87898b3adcf/orig.mp4?Expires=1775494481&Signature=d~YPyR4AkSRujWzrdOam7PHowKtoDdGOn7YYB2T3bqGBLZ0IB6jpLHLB7WMSl3K3JhtHiSrcM~0msuUnV9wW-ZWvQtKZPDuSryc7z7ihNFMDYuWTE1c4-Lg-Lq8dyypPN1hyXBt0UBwuC1yKq6F3XUvvbf3I1EUdbD3xiBYiZLWwPPj2C2OGeRGLRZXNB85KFuZ9MwA1lsaRTD7cWDbF2D~BS7M5Xhk5klNYHDs6O3OEyuuqZsb0sM7KCUvQywEYth-fAMyCUrS-u7yZFJCXEk~vhlUNx5GsafHbgV2-67M4vOyPbXE62mjKYVnh0rvfPurO4dIE6nMk2bxnHZdmvQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Texas State Legislature","date","2025-02-26T00:00:00Z","article","Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock urged the Legislature to consider repealing what he called “subsection O” of the Texas Family Code and to take steps to ensure that parents facing termination proceedings receive vigorous legal representation.

“Termination of parental rights is the civil death penalty,” Blacklock said during an address to a joint session, arguing that the state should use termination only as a last resort and that the family code should not “stack the deck against the parents before the cases even begin.” He recommended lawmakers examine Representative Dutton’s bill, which he said would repeal subsection O and make other changes.

Blacklock described family‑court cases he said often stem from drug damage to families and urged continued legislative work to keep families together when appropriate. He thanked lawmakers for recent steps to require the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to keep more families together and singled out Representative Dutton and Senator Kolkhorst for leadership on the issue.

Separately, Blacklock addressed access to legal services. He said the court will pursue systemic reforms to make legal services more affordable, including reviewing how the legal profession is regulated to increase supply and reduce costs. He said government regulation can drive up prices and that the court will work with the Legislature on potential changes to expand access.

Blacklock also criticized the American Bar Association for taking national political positions and contrasted that with the State Bar of Texas, which he described as a public organization that should remain neutral. He asked legislators to consider options to expand affordable legal services for low‑income Texans and small businesses, but he did not propose specific statutory text in the address.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Session (Part II): Joint Session February 26, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock urged lawmakers to consider repealing subsection O of the Texas Family Code, called for stronger legal representation in parental-termination cases and proposed reforms to increase access to affordable legal services.","taxTitle","Senate, Legislative, Texas","taxId",16215,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6310161,"Texas chief justice rejects 'living Constitution,' urges rule changes to streamline courts",340,1757000,2097000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2404470-f0340bd144eeefccb6e44c9a1514c670&start=1757&end=2097","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2404470-f0340bd144eeefccb6e44c9a1514c670/thumbnail_1757000.jpg","/articles/6310161/Texas/Texas-chief-justice-rejects-living-Constitution-urges-rule-changes-to-streamline-courts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6310161-64d6c37d031cfe94981d73b1ca3ae9e3/orig.mp4?Expires=1775494481&Signature=XPBFJCVOHs9K40LgY1VmLVOXkbXQQuDSoSEqHCagQxG7ye5L4j2RDZJZd5TpeqHys1A-WafrgQ4dRZuqyyJ9rMLmjHUi-yyjR1~7ptENqAB7qV1nFhVCUAyeajR~DYQly-9sL1p~JYRmmDrpM~jSqO~QV9nm1IpbfvPSJqUfHijtDQlZj8oBdUoFd15Eo9Gu46hlTFHGkuYs6aTyAkJLStXdhmCCehp9BZ4UjAZGzriouYoEtA-~JaB0U9yS8HK2XvKOly0ffeLWu2aZjPI~0eKkuNYOadT2AyPTltoL0DqwF-Kd4M8U-IXnbWLzn402B5jUgPN1X4a8lFqmgGgv-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock told lawmakers at a joint session that the Texas Supreme Court will follow constitutional originalism and pursue procedural changes intended to make litigation more predictable and less expensive.

“In Texas, under this supreme Court, the living Constitution is dead,” Blacklock said, declaring originalism the court’s guiding approach to constitutional interpretation. He told legislators that judges should apply the text of statutes and constitutions as enacted and not substitute their policy preferences for legislative choices.

Blacklock also addressed court administration. He criticized the practice of assigning a different judge for each hearing in a case — sometimes called a rotating or central docket — and said he has asked the court’s advisory committee to recommend rules that would assign cases to a single judge through disposition. He argued a single-judge assignment promotes “efficient and uniform administration of justice.”

The chief justice said the court is open to opposing arguments but wants to explore rule changes that could reduce the time and expense of discovery and litigation. He also asked the advisory committee to consider waiting to require parties to incur full merits briefing costs until the court grants review of a case.

Blacklock framed these reforms as consistent with Article V, Section 31 of the Texas Constitution, which charges the Supreme Court with rules for the administration of the judicial branch. He invited ideas from legislators and said the court will study whether its own procedures promote efficiency.

No formal rule changes or filings were announced in the joint session; the address placed proposed rule review and advisory‑committee study on the court’s agenda.","Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock told a joint session that the Texas Supreme Court will interpret the Constitution by originalist principles and pursue administrative rule changes including ending rotating dockets and considering changes to briefing practices to reduce litigation costs.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6310165,"Texas chief justice urges 30% pay raise for judges to retain talent",333,1046000,1379000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2404470-f0340bd144eeefccb6e44c9a1514c670&start=1046&end=1379","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2404470-f0340bd144eeefccb6e44c9a1514c670/thumbnail_1046000.jpg","/articles/6310165/Texas/Texas-chief-justice-urges-30-pay-raise-for-judges-to-retain-talent","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6310165-10ae4f6e5b2ac0873e838ba342f4b21e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775494481&Signature=c~-c2T1STUM4yjcUjSTyoObwg0Lf6BnsWVb2JBztGzxqN04Nf2qVOtN4FRhAxGYT81jBme5A9NnxerxXgBWx2-EtX96crgmHISMl0i1F5WpOfHJrihc5S5mRUNlAFTyL9MXp4h-Kb9yZ3sm5rLCbM2qtW0aaqN8RWf3qo08Qs8r~Z1MylQmlIOVEachiyDrPxUL4G-HTRuHkNVKRCZmkSPjtisGOTP0ZIQOYthIHtQeTRAFob2IBf~AC8dmELYJFpU23GLxloQCjylQQapG8lC8sOR28t4nwm4bD1o5WlP3mK7xzZCb-jDCxtWS1lkv3nZjQEgKjQy8Riqp4os5aGQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At a joint session of the Texas House and Senate in Austin, Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock of the Supreme Court of Texas asked lawmakers to approve a 30% across‑the‑board increase in base pay for state judges this legislative session.

Blacklock argued higher pay is needed to recruit and retain “smart and serious and hardworking people of high integrity” for judicial offices and said the Judicial Compensation Commission has recommended a 30% raise. “And that is what I am asking you to do. 30% across the board,” he told legislators.

The chief justice said the legislature has not raised the base pay for district judges since 2013 and noted total inflation since 2013 is about 34.5%, figures he used to argue that judicial salaries have fallen behind private and public sector market rates. Blacklock said the requested increase would move Texas from roughly 48th to 31st among states in judicial pay.

Blacklock framed the request as a public‑interest measure: because judges are ethically limited in outside earnings, he urged lawmakers to consider raises “not for the judges” but “for your constituents, who have to appear before the judges, who have the power [to] take their money and their house and their children.”

He also said the state should avoid penalizing the majority of judges for the failings of a few, noting the constitution contains tools to address underperforming judges. He said the Supreme Court is gathering data to identify problem judges but warned against blunt, burdensome metrics that would encumber well‑performing judicial officers.

Blacklock did not propose specific statutory language or a funding source; the request was framed as a legislative priority that would require action by the Legislature. No formal motion or vote on judicial compensation was recorded in the joint session.","Chief Justice Jimmy Blacklock told a joint session of the Texas Legislature that lawmakers should enact a 30% increase in base judicial pay to attract and keep qualified judges, citing long-unchanged salaries and rising costs of living.","actionData","errors"]

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Texas chief justice urges repeal of Family Code provision and calls for more affordable legal services

Texas chief justice rejects 'living Constitution,' urges rule changes to streamline courts

Texas chief justice urges 30% pay raise for judges to retain talent