Stephen Paulsen, Courthouse News Service Journalist Profile

Articles

SpaceX ruling could gut U.S. labor oversight

Jul 24, 2024 | tucsonsentinel.com | Stephen Paulsen

Courthouse News Service A federal judge in Texas on Tuesday cast new doubt on the NationalLabor Relations Board’s ability to oversee labor disputes, agreeing withElon Musk’s SpaceX that the agency’s board members and administrativelaw judges are likely serving unconstitutionally. SpaceX faces arange of labor complaints, including at least two complaints to theNLRB, amid a broader conservative push to limit the power of federalregulatory agencies.
SpaceX ruling could gut US labor oversight

Jul 23, 2024 | courthousenews.com | Stephen Paulsen

(CN) — A federal judge in Texas on Tuesday cast new doubt on the National Labor Relations Board’s ability to oversee labor disputes, agreeing with Elon Musk’s SpaceX that the agency’s board members and administrative law judges were likely serving unconstitutionally. The decision comes as SpaceX faces a range of labor complaints — and amid a broader conservative push to limit the power of federal regulatory agencies.
In South Texas, SpaceX looms over iconic beach

May 10, 2024 | courthousenews.com | Stephen Paulsen

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Like many Brownsville residents, Christopher Basaldú has been coming to Boca Chica beach since he was a kid. This place, where the Rio Grande spills into the Gulf of Mexico, is a sanctuary for migrating birds and marine life like the critically endangered Kemp’s ridley sea turtle. An expert in Native cultures and societies, Basaldú said his ancestors have come to this beach for thousands of years — long before the arrival of European settlers.
Texas sues major porn distributor in bid to enforce content-warning law

Feb 27, 2024 | courthousenews.com | Stephen Paulsen

AUSTIN, Texas (CN) — Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton this week sued a major online porn distributor in an effort to enforce a new state law mandating age verification and purported health warnings on adult websites. The lawsuit, filed in state court in Austin on Monday, accuses the adult-entertainment company Aylo of violating House Bill 1181, a new state content-warning law for websites. A Montreal-based company, Aylo runs a number of major online porn brands, including Pornhub.
After suit from nonprofits, federal judge orders Texas county to open up bail hearings

Feb 5, 2024 | courthousenews.com | Stephen Paulsen

AUSTIN, Texas (CN) — A federal judge this week ordered a Texas county to make its bail hearings available to the public after a group of nonprofits sued the county over access.
With new lawsuits, Texas takes aim at marijuana reform

Jan 30, 2024 | courthousenews.com | Stephen Paulsen

As Texans have warmed on marijuana use, some cities — including the state capital of Austin — have decriminalized the drug through ordinances and police policies. Texas AG Ken Paxton wants to see them enforce the state's strict drug laws instead. (CN) — In an effort to enforce Texas' strict laws on marijuana, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on Wednesday sued five cities that in recent years have all taken a more relaxed approach towards small-time marijuana offenses.
Lawsuit over Texas abortion funds can proceed, federal judge rules

Dec 21, 2023 | courthousenews.com | Stephen Paulsen

Several advocacy groups said they wanted to continue funding services like out-of-state travel for abortions and were being unconstitutionally barred from doing so. Austin, Texas (CN) — A federal judge in Austin this week gave a small win to a group of Texas abortion advocacy groups after the groups said they were being unconstitutionally barred from providing "financial, logistical, emotional, and travel assistance to pregnant Texans" seeking abortions.
With impeachment rout, embattled Texas AG performs latest trick

Sep 15, 2023 | courthousenews.com | Stephen Paulsen |Kirk McDaniel

This is a breaking story and may be updated as new information comes in. AUSTIN, Texas (CN) — Call him Kendini. Throughout his nearly ten-year reign as Texas’ top cop, hard-right Ken Paxton has wriggled his way out of an almost comical number of legal and ethical controversies. On Saturday, in the eyes of his critics, he did it again — dodging 16 articles of impeachment in the Texas legislature that looked to be his toughest challenge yet.
Siding with porn producers, federal judge blocks Texas content-warning law

Aug 30, 2023 | courthousenews.com | Stephen Paulsen

Set to go into effect on Friday, House Bill 1181 would have required porn publishers to serve "deceptive" health warnings to consumers, U.S. District Judge David Alan Ezra ruled. AUSTIN, Texas (CN) — A federal judge on Thursday handed a preliminary injunction to a group of porn-industry insiders who had sued Texas over a new state law mandating content warnings on porn sites.
Top Texas official not immune from discipline in 2020 election subversion

Jul 13, 2023 | courthousenews.com | Stephen Paulsen