This database consolidates and tracks litigation concerning the effect of the pandemic on election law. The purpose of this tool is to provide an interactive list of relevant cases that can be searched by issue, court, status, and jurisdiction.
Case Details
In re Hotze
Closed
In re Hotze, No. 20-0671 (Tex. S. Ct.) |
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| Case Summary | The issue in this case was whether Harris County Clerk Christopher Hollins (Respondent) was violating Texas Election Code § 84.012 by sending applications for mail-in ballots to over 2.37 million registered voters in Harris County regardless of whether the individual requested the application or has a “disability” under Texas Election Code § 82.002(a). Petitioners (Harris County Republican Party and two individuals) sought a writ of mandamus compelling the Harris County Clerk to send early applications to vote by mail only to individuals who request them in accordance with the Texas Election Code. See Tex. Elec. Code § 86.001. The Texas Supreme Court has original jurisdiction due to the nature of the case. | |
| Filed | 08/31/2020 | |
| State | Texas | |
| Type of Court | State | |
| Status | Closed | |
| Last Updated | 05/13/2021 | |
| Issue Tag(s) | Vote-by-Mail (Claim that Mail Voting Leads to Fraud and/or Vote Dilution) Authority To Act (State Separation of Powers, Other) Claim that county clerk does not have the power to send out unsollicited mail voting applications, where mail voting requires excuse |
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| Complaint(s) | 08/31/2020: Complaint filed. | |
| Dispositive Ruling(s) | 09/02/2020: Order/Ruling, The court grants, in part, plaintiff's Emergency Motion for Temporary Relief, enjoining Hollins from sending applications for mail-in ballots until 5 days after a temporary injuction ruling is reached in State of Texas v. Hollins. | |
| 09/09/2020: Other | ||
| 10/07/2020: Order/Ruling, Pursuant to Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 52.8(c), without hearing oral argument, the Court denied the petition for writ of mandamus. | ||
