Meet the Austin Bar’s new President: Justice Chari Kelly
Justice Chari Kelly has been elected as the new Austin Bar President for the 2023 – 2024 term.
Three local lawyers honored at 23rd annual Pathfinder Awards
At the 23rd annual Pathfinder Awards Ceremony on January 19, 2023, the Travis County Women Lawyers’ Association (TCWLA) recognized Justice Kelly with the Pathfinder Award. The TCWLA honors women attorneys who have made significant contributions to the legal profession and serve as role models for other women in the field.
Texas appeals court sides with schools in fight over whether districts can require masks
In March 2022, Justice Kelly sided with school districts against Governor Greg Abbott’s ban on mask mandates. Justice Kelly upheld the authority of local government to control the spread of COVID-19.
Appeals court upholds mask mandates for Austin, 18 other Texas school districts
Justice Kelly was the Austin American Statesman’s quote of the week: “The Governor does not possess absolute authority under the Texas Disaster Act to preempt orders issued by governmental entities and officials.”
Texas appellate justices appear skeptical of Attorney General Ken Paxton defense that he’s exempt from state’s whistleblower law
In October 2020, eight officials from the Texas Attorney General’s Office resigned and filed a whistleblower lawsuit against Ken Paxton. His attorneys argued that he was exempt from whistleblower lawsuits, but Justice Kelly “questioned that argument and nodded to claims by the whistleblowers’ lawyers that Paxton is a public employee because he receives checks from the state and participates in its retirement system, and that he acts as the entity because he is its titular head.”
How a $3.3M settlement against Texas AG Ken Paxton put him on path to impeachment vote
Justice Kelly later ruled that Attorney General Ken Paxton is not above the law and is subject to whistleblower liability like any other state employee. The decision sparked a bipartisan investigation that led to Paxton’s impeachment by the Texas House.
Democrats sweep 3rd Court of Appeals races
In 2018, four Republican incumbents seeking election to the Austin-based 3rd Court of Appeals lost to their Democratic challengers. This marked the first time Democrats have won a seat on the court since 2008. Chari Kelly secured her victory with 54 percent of the votes, successfully unseating an incumbent seeking his second six-year term on the court.
