Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been granted by a federal judge the authority to intervene in the ongoing lawsuit regarding the 2019 Harris County bail reform consent decree. This allows Paxton to actively challenge the policy, which he argues has made Texas less safe by releasing criminals back into communities. In his press release, Pax.
The O’Donnell Consent Decree stemmed from a 2016 class-action lawsuit arguing that Harris County’s prior bail practices were unconstitutional because they detained people charged with misdemeanors simply for being unable to afford cash bail. A judge approved the decree in 2019, eliminating most cash bail for misdemeanor offenses and requiring release on unsecured bonds, while also creating an independent monitor to oversee compliance.
The new ruling opens the door for Paxton’s office to seek termination of the decree, arguing that it violates Texas law and endangers public safety. Paxton’s office said the decree ‘enabled radical judges to more easily release criminals into Harris County communities’ and that liberal activists have tried to expand its reach despite state laws imposing stricter bail standards. ‘General Paxton seeks to vacate the decree and ensure that the rights of Harris County citizens are represented in court,’ the release said.