Ken Paxton Prosecutors Take Fight Over Backpay to State's Highest Criminal Court

AUSTIN — Prosecutors pursuing criminal charges against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have asked the state's highest court to overturn a lower court's ruling that voided their last paycheck. In a 62-page brief filed Tuesday, the prosecutors argued the Court of Criminal Appeals should vacate a decision by the 5th Court of Appeals in Dallas that cost them more than $205,000 in back pay. The ruling, which said a local judge overstepped his authority in guaranteeing the prosecutors $300-an-hour for their work on the case, would have a "chilling effect" the state's ability to find competent attorneys to investigate potential wrongdoing by the state's top elected officials, they argued. "Left unchecked, the court of appeals' decision divesting trial judges of the discretion to control their dockets will have a chilling effect on their ability to appoint competent advocates willing to take on the most complex criminal cases," Brian Wice, one of the three special prosecutors, wrote in his brief to the court.   Continue reading...