Texas Senate Bill SB1441

Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Caption

Relating to the right of certain appellants to supersede a judgment or order on appeal.

Impact

If enacted, SB1441 would impact Texas appellate law by potentially reducing the procedural hurdles that appellants face when they seek to stay a lower court's judgment during the appeal process. The new rules that the Texas Supreme Court is mandated to adopt by May 1, 2018, will specifically address these rights, possibly leading to more straightforward handling of appeals. This could have implications not only for legal practitioners but also for parties involved in appellate litigation across the state.

Summary

SB1441 seeks to clarify the rights of certain appellants in Texas regarding the ability to supersede a judgment or order while their appeal is pending. The bill specifically amends Section 22.004 of the Government Code, stating that the right of appellants to supersede judgments under the Civil Practice and Remedies Code is not subject to counter-supersession as provided by existing appellate rules. This legislative change is designed to streamline the appeals process and provide greater certainty for appellants when seeking a stay of judgments.

Sentiment

The sentiment surrounding SB1441 appears largely procedural and technical rather than politically charged. Legal experts and practitioners who participated in discussions typically express a pragmatic view of the bill, seeing it as a necessary update to align the appellate process with the rights of appellants. While there may not be significant opposition, some apprehension exists regarding the implications of eliminating counter-supersession, particularly for cases that may require additional scrutiny.

Contention

One notable point of contention relates to the implications of removing the counter-supersession provision, as critics worry that it could lead to less oversight on stays granted to appellants. This concern stems from the belief that counter-supersession serves as a valuable check within the appellate system, ensuring that judgments are not automatically stayed without sufficient justification. Thus, while the intent is to create a clearer process, the trade-offs of removing certain checks within the system present a topic of debate among legal professionals.