Supreme Court

Case: 26-0171    
26-0171
02/25/2026
Petition for Writ of Mandamus
IN RE STATE OF TEXAS 
 
Appellate Briefs
Date▲▼Event Type▲▼Description▲▼RemarksDocument
03/27/2026Reply to Petition for Writ of MandamusRelator Reply in Support of Petition for Writ of Mandamus filed on behalf of the State of Texas.
03/20/2026Response to Petition for Writ of Mandamus FiledReal Parties in Interest Response to Petition for Writ of Mandamus filed on behalf of Harris County, et al.
03/19/2026Amicus Curiae Brief receivedReceived (instead of filed) Amicus Curiae Brief received on behalf of Greg Abbott submitted by Trevor W. Ezell of the Office of the Governor of Austin, Texas.
03/11/2026Reply to ResponseRelator Reply in support of Motion to Stay filed on behalf of the State of Texas.
02/25/2026Petition for Writ of Mandamus filedRelator Petition for Writ of Mandamus filed on behalf of the State of Texas.
Case Events
Date▲▼Event Type▲▼Disposition▲▼RemarksDocument
08/31/2026Notice received  Notice of Withdrawal of Counsel filed on behalf of Amicus Curiae.
08/07/2026Letter Filed  Letter filed on behalf of the State of Texas.
06/26/2026Justice(s) dissent to denial noted  Justice Lehrmann, Justice Bland, and Justice Huddle dissent with the following statement: On the limited record before us, the State has not established that the court of appeals erred in declining to issue temporary relief while that court considers the appeal. We express no opinion as to the merits of the appeal.
06/26/2026Order of the Court Issued 
06/26/2026Motion to Stay DisposedFiling granted Relator's Emergency Motion for Temporary Relief granted
03/31/2026Case forwarded to Court 
03/27/2026Reply to Petition for Writ of Mandamus  Reply in Support of Petition for Writ of Mandamus filed on behalf of the State of Texas.
03/21/2026Supplement to Clerk's/Reporter's Record  Supplement to Mandamus Record filed on behalf of the State of Texas.
03/20/2026Response to Petition for Writ of Mandamus Filed  Response to Petition for Writ of Mandamus filed on behalf of Harris County, et al.
03/19/2026Amicus Curiae Brief received  Amicus Curiae Brief received on behalf of Greg Abbott submitted by Trevor W. Ezell of the Office of the Governor of Austin, Texas.
03/11/2026Reply to Response  Reply in support of Motion to Stay filed on behalf of the State of Texas.
03/06/2026Response to Motion filed  Response to Motion to Stay filed on behalf of Harris County, Texas, et al.
02/27/2026Supreme Court of Texas Ordered Response  Court ordered response to both the motion to stay and the petition for writ of mandamus.  The response to the motion to stay  is due no later than Friday, March 6, 2026.  The response to the petition for writ of mandamus is due no later than Friday, March 20, 2026.
02/26/2026Clerk's Record 
02/26/2026Court reporter/recorder's record 
02/26/2026Supplement to Clerk's/Reporter's Record 
02/25/2026Case Record Filed  Mandamus Record filed on behalf of the State of Texas.
02/25/2026Motion to Stay Filed   Motion to Stay filed on behalf of the State of Texas.
02/25/2026Petition for Writ of Mandamus filed  Petition for Writ of Mandamus filed on behalf of the State of Texas.
Calendars
Set Date▲▼Calendar Type▲▼Reason Set▲▼Remarks▲▼
03/31/2026Work-Up by Staff / Review by JusticesUnder Review 
06/26/2026StatusSupreme Court order issuedTemporary Relief Order issued
Parties
Party▲▼Party Type▲▼Representative▲▼
Thao Costis, in her official capacity as Executive Director of Harris County Housing & Community DevelopmentReal Party in Interest Mr. Jonathan G.C. Fombonne
Mr. Charles Shaw Jr.
Mr. Christian Menefee
Ms. Sarah Utley
Ms. Eleanor Matheson
Jesse Blakley Jr.
Brian Hrach
Mr. Christopher Garza
Edward Swidriski III
Rodney Ellis, in his official capacity as Commissioner of Harris County Precinct 1Real Party in Interest Ms. Sarah Utley
Mr. Jonathan G.C. Fombonne
Brian Hrach
Mr. Charles Shaw Jr.
Jesse Blakley Jr.
Mr. Christopher Garza
Edward Swidriski III
Mr. Christian Menefee
Ms. Eleanor Matheson
Harris County Commissioners CourtReal Party in Interest Ms. Eleanor Matheson
Mr. Charles Shaw Jr.
Ms. Sarah Utley
Edward Swidriski III
Jesse Blakley Jr.
Mr. Christian Menefee
Brian Hrach
Mr. Jonathan G.C. Fombonne
Mr. Christopher Garza
Lesley Briones, in her official capacity as Commissioner of Harris County Precinct 4Real Party in Interest Jesse Blakley Jr.
Brian Hrach
Mr. Christian Menefee
Mr. Christopher Garza
Ms. Sarah Utley
Mr. Jonathan G.C. Fombonne
Edward Swidriski III
Mr. Charles Shaw Jr.
Ms. Eleanor Matheson
Harris County, Texas Real Party in Interest Mr. Christopher Garza
Edward Swidriski III
Mr. Christian Menefee
Ms. Eleanor Matheson
Mr. Jonathan G.C. Fombonne
Brian Hrach
Mr. Charles Shaw Jr.
Ms. Sarah Utley
Jesse Blakley Jr.
Abbott, GregAmicus CuriaeMr. Trevor W. Ezell
Adrian Garcia, in his official capacity as Commissioner of Harris County Precinct 2Real Party in Interest Mr. Charles Shaw Jr.
Jesse Blakley Jr.
Mr. Christian Menefee
Edward Swidriski III
Ms. Sarah Utley
Ms. Eleanor Matheson
Brian Hrach
Mr. Christopher Garza
Mr. Jonathan G.C. Fombonne
Lina Hidalgo, in her official capacity as Harris County JudgeReal Party in Interest Jesse Blakley Jr.
Mr. Jonathan G.C. Fombonne
Ms. Eleanor Matheson
Mr. Charles Shaw Jr.
Brian Hrach
Mr. Christian Menefee
Edward Swidriski III
Ms. Sarah Utley
Mr. Christopher Garza
Jessie Dickerman, in his official capacity as Harris County AdministratorReal Party in Interest Edward Swidriski III
Jesse Blakley Jr.
Mr. Charles Shaw Jr.
Ms. Eleanor Matheson
Brian Hrach
Mr. Jonathan G.C. Fombonne
Mr. Christian Menefee
Ms. Sarah Utley
Mr. Christopher Garza
Tom Ramsey, in his official capacity as Commissioner of Harris County Precinct 3Real Party in Interest Mr. Christopher Garza
Mr. Charles Shaw Jr.
Mr. Jonathan G.C. Fombonne
Ms. Sarah Utley
Brian Hrach
Edward Swidriski III
Ms. Eleanor Matheson
Mr. Christian Menefee
Jesse Blakley Jr.
The Court of Appeals for the Fifteenth Judicial DistrictRespondent 
State of TexasRelatorMs. Katherine Pitcher
Ms. Beth E. Klusmann
Mr. William Cole
Anthony Dolcefino
Mr. W. Kenneth Paxton
Mr. William Peterson
Mr. Brent Webster
Ms. Amy Snow Hilton
Mr. Benjamin Mendelson
Court of Appeals Information:
 
 
15th Court of Appeals 
 
Trial Court Information
152nd District Court 
Harris 
Honorable Takasha Laneice Francis 
2025-85662