5th Cir.

A Texas law that permits the imposition of criminal sanctions against elected officials who meet in secret does not violate the First Amendment, a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans (5th Cir.) yesterday granted a Texas journalist's request to expedite his appeal of a gag order issued in the pre-trial proceedings of a Saudi citizen accused of the attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction in the U.S.

Online newspaper The Daily on Wednesday refused to comply with a federal judge’s order to remove from its website video clips of former BP CEO Tony Hayward’s deposition in the ongoing litigation related to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last year. That decision may prove to be vindicated, as the judge today indicated an intent to withdraw the order.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans (5th Cir.) ruled on Tuesday that the public and press have a presumptive constitutional right to attend the sentencing of a criminal defendant. The opinion, in Hearst Newspapers, LLC, aligns the Fifth Circuit with several other federal appellate courts that have reached a similar conclusion, and further establishes that a sentencing court must provide the public with notice and an opportunity to be heard before closing a sentencing proceeding.

A journalist in Lubbock, Texas, last week asked the U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans (5th Cir.) to reverse a trial court gag order issued in the case of a Saudi citizen accused of attempting to bomb various targets, purportedly including the home of former President George W. Bush.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans (5th Cir.) heard arguments Monday in an appeal brought by Hearst Newspapers LLC challenging the propriety of closing a criminal sentencing hearing without prior notice to the public.

A federal appeals court Wednesday ordered the disclosure of a Texas district court ruling that had been filed under seal, highlighting in its written opinion the importance of public access to court proceedings and documents.

The Texas Open Meetings Act remains good law after withstanding a constitutional challenge by former city council members who asserted the law violated their rights to exchange e-mail messages discussing city business in secret.

After four years of litigation, the U.S. Court of Appeals in Dallas (5th Cir.) dismissed the case today as moot. Although both Alpine, Texas, councilors' terms had ended, Avinash Rangra remained an active plaintiff in the case. Sixteen judges held Rangra lacked the proper standing to sue.