Some Fort Bend citizens are petitioning their government for redress of grievances; will Fort Bend County officials respond with an Anti-SLAPP motion to strike?
Thursday September 22nd, 2016 may be a watershed moment affecting not solely the citizens that brought forth an “Ultra Vires” suit against 23 elected officials in Fort Bend County, but every Texas news outlet AND citizen educating their friends, neighbors and the public on government actors acting outside their legal authority.
Where: 268th District Court, 1422 Eugene Heimann Circle, Richmond, TX 77469.
When: Thursday September 22, 2016 at 9:00 a.m.
Why?
From a posting on Missouri City Concerns and Fort Bend County Concerns Facebook page:
In the 268th District Court of Fort Bend County on Thursday, September 22, 2016, at 9:00AM Judge Brady Elliott is going to attempt to silence the citizens that brought a “Ultra Vires” suit against 23 Elected Officials which includes every District Court Judge, every County Court Judge and Judge Brady Elliott himself.
It appears that Judge Elliott is going award attorney fees and possibly sanctions with the intent purpose to discourage any other Lawyer or Citizen from bringing suits against Government Officials in their Official Capacity. The problem is that Judge Brady Elliott is a Fact Witness in the Litigation in his court and he is a Defendant in a severed case dealing with the exact same causes of action and class members.
Justice will be thrown into complete chaos at 9:00AM in the 268th Judicial Court in Fort Bend County. The Court is located at 1422 Eugene Heimann Circle, Richmond, TX 77469. I would encourage all citizens to show up at the court and show their support for the Constitutional Right to Petition Government Actors in court for acting outside their legal authority.
A strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) is a lawsuit that is intended to censor, intimidate and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of a legal defense until they abandon their criticism or opposition. Such lawsuits have been made illegal in many jurisdictions on the grounds that they impede First Amendment freedom of speech.
It’s not necessary for you to have followed all the details of the cause of action known as the Roach case, only that you know a class action lawsuit filed Wednesday May 6th, 2015 claims the Fort Bend County Truancy Court was not authorized to operate under the Texas Legislature and alleged the Fort Bend school district of operating an automated program to mass-produce citations that summon students to appear before the county truancy court without due process.
Read the original Breitbart Texas story about the Roach case here.
*Full disclosure—this contributor is an admin of the Missouri City Concerns and Fort Bend County Concerns Facebook group pages