HOUSTON, Sept. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A three-judge
panel of the Texas 14th
Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments on both a civil and
criminal case when it convenes Sept.
21 at the University of Houston
Law Center.
Justices Marc Brown, Brett Busby and Kevin
Jewell will hear arguments in the Law Center's Krost Hall,
and then answer questions from students. Brown '87 and Jewell '93
are Law Center alumni.
"We are delighted that the 14th Court of Appeals
will be in residence at the Law Center and hold oral
arguments," said Dean Leonard M.
Baynes. "During the past four years, the Law Center has
developed stronger relationships with the bench and bar. The Texas
Supreme Court held oral arguments, U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Sonia Sotomayor visited and
lectured, and several other prominent jurists from across the
country visited and lectured through the Justice Ruby Kless Sondock Jurist-in-Residence
program.
"These visits inspire our students to seek out careers as law
clerks and ultimately in the judiciary. It also allows our students
to witness excellent appellate lawyering."
The civil matter to be heard by the court concerns two related
appeals of a summary judgment and jury verdict involving settlement
of a mass-tort lawsuit against a pharmaceutical company. In
both cases, the plaintiffs are former clients of a lawyer and his
law firm. Plaintiffs in the first case claim the firm
improperly deducted certain expenses from the amount of their
settlement. The trial court granted summary judgment in the firm's
favor. In the related case, six of those plaintiffs claimed
breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract. A jury found in
favor of the law firm.
The criminal appeal involves the legality of a search warrant
used to determine the blood-alcohol level of a driver involved in a
fatal accident. The man pleaded guilty to a felony charge of
intoxication manslaughter, but later appealed. He contends the
affidavit used by police to show probable cause and obtain the
warrant was misleading because it failed to inform the magistrate
that blood was drawn twice previously at a hospital without a
warrant. The state contends there was no attempt to mislead the
magistrate because the previous drawing of blood was irrelevant to
establishing probable cause for the warrant.
The court proceedings are open to the public. No large bags or
backpacks will be allowed into Krost Hall.
Doors open at 9:30 a.m. on Friday,
Sept. 21. Oral arguments on the civil appeals are scheduled from
10:00 to 10:30 a.m. followed by
arguments on the criminal case from 10:45 to
11:15 a.m. The Q&A session with the justices is
scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30
p.m.
Visit here for further information about the
14th Court of Appeals and to reserve a
seat.
Media contacts: Carrie Anna
Criado, UH Law Center Assistant Dean of Communications and
Marketing, 713-743-2184, cacriado@central.uh.edu; Elena Hawthorne, Assistant Director of
Communications and Marketing, 713-743-1125,
ehawthor@central.uh.edu; John T.
Kling, Communications Manager, 713-743-8298,
jtkling@central.uh.edu; John
Brannen, Senior Writer, 713-743-3055,
jtbranne@central.uh.edu; and Lisa
Lane, Program Manager II, 713-743-2259,
lmlane@central.uh.edu
About the University of
Houston
The University of Houston is
a Carnegie-designated Tier One public research university
recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the nation's best
colleges for undergraduate education. UH serves the globally
competitive Houston and Gulf Coast
Region by providing world-class faculty, experiential learning and
strategic industry partnerships. Located in the nation's
fourth-largest city, UH serves more than 45,000 students in the
most ethnically and culturally diverse region in the country.
About the University of Houston
Law Center
The University of Houston Law
Center (UHLC) is a dynamic, top tier law school located in the
nation's 4th largest city. UHLC's Health Law,
Intellectual Property Law, and Part-time programs rank in the U.S.
News Top 10. It awards Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) and Master of
Laws (LL.M.) degrees, through its academic branch, the College of
Law. The Law Center is more than just a law school. It is a
powerful hub of intellectual activity with more than 11 centers and
institutes which fuel its educational mission and national
reputation. UHLC is fully accredited by the American Bar
Association and is a member of the Association of American Law
Schools.
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SOURCE University of Houston Law
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