The Dallas Morning News and Public Citizen, Relators v. the Fifth Court of Appeals, Respondent

Summary

The Texas Supreme Court denied the Dallas Morning News and Public Citizen’s petition for a writ of mandamus, affirming the Fifth Court of Appeals’ temporary order limiting public access to trial exhibits while a Rule 76a appeal is pending. The Court held that the appellate court has authority to protect its jurisdiction and that the relators failed to show a right to immediate, unrestricted access to the exhibits. A dissent argued that the majority erred by upholding the stay and misapplied precedent on press freedom.