Yearly Archives: 2016
Balancing Freedoms: Texas Open Carry Gun Law and Public Meetings
While the First and Second Amendments provide our constitutional rights to free speech and to bear arms, there is legal leeway for a Texas municipality to bar the open carry of handguns in a public meeting of city council. As of January 1, 2016, Texas gun laws provide concealed handgun license owners to openly… Read More »
Citizens Should Engage Public Officials with Ideas to Better Their City
I recently went on a trip to San Francisco to visit a friend of nearly 20 years. While on a hike to the Golden Gate Bridge, she remarked that one of the abandoned buildings we came across on the hike should be turned into restroom facilities. The building needed a little TLC, but otherwise… Read More »
My Mayor Has Super Powers?
Texas law sets out various powers of mayors and city council. However, what super powers does a mayor have in an emergency or disaster? There are three types of city governments allowed under the Texas Constitution: (1) Special law cities created by the Republic of Texas; (2) general law cities operating under the general… Read More »
Change in Texas Criminal Code Calls for Careful Review of Traffic Stop Video Release
A significant change to the law governing public information in Texas came into effect on September 1, 2015, and governmental bodies ought to know about it. Generally, public information is governed by Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code, commonly referred to as the “Public Information Act”; however, the change at issue is not… Read More »
Creative Ways to Buy and Sell Real Estate in Texas
A typical real estate transaction, whether residential or commercial, usually involves a buyer paying a certain amount in cash for a down payment and taking on a new mortgage for the rest of the purchase price, cashing out the seller at closing. However, there are many situations when a typical transaction just won’t work…. Read More »
Knowing the Rules of Houston Historical Preservation Appeals
Purchasing a house with the desire to renovate it or planning a renovation of a house you already own can be one of the most stressful, not to mention expensive, experiences that a property owner may undertake. This process can be even more daunting if you live in one of Houston’s 22 designated historic districts…. Read More »