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Texas: Clerk May Not Bill Defendant for Attorney Fees Not Ordered by Court
Texas: Clerk May Not Bill Defendant for Attorney Fees Not Ordered by Court
by Matt Clarke
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals held last year that a district clerk may not send an indigent prisoner a bill of costs for court-appointed attorney fees in his criminal case …
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More from this issue:
- Some States Refuse to Implement SORNA, Lose Federal Grants
- Volunteers Help Prisoners Vote at D.C. Jail
- Some GPS Monitoring Devices Capable of Audio Recording, by Christopher Zoukis
- Indiana Supreme Court Holds Agreed Court Order with Prosecutor is Binding on DOC, by Matthew Clarke
- Incarceration is Excusable Default in New York Housing Court Proceeding, by Mark Wilson
- Recidivism Performance Measures for Private Halfway Houses in Pennsylvania, by Alex Friedmann
- Modern-Day Slavery in America’s Prison Workforce, by Beth Schwartzapfel
- South Florida Landlord Bucks Trend, Offers Housing to Sex Offenders
- $2.85 Million Jury Verdict for Suicide at Missouri Jail, by Derek Gilna
- New York Judge Unseals Attica Prison Riot Records – Sort of, by Joe Watson
- Prison Labor Boosts Wal-Mart’s Profits Despite Pledge, by Derek Gilna
- Courts Struggle with Child Pornography Restitution Following Supreme Court Ruling
- Fifth Circuit: “Mailbox Rule” Applies to Texas State Habeas Petitions
- Texas: Clerk May Not Bill Defendant for Attorney Fees Not Ordered by Court, by Matthew Clarke
- Fifth Circuit Holds Prison Guard’s Injury-Causing Reckless Driving States Nonfrivolous Claim, by Matthew Clarke
- Fourth Circuit Finds PLRA Attorney Fee Cap Constitutional, by David Reutter
- Eighth Circuit Holds No SORNA Registration Requirement after Leaving U.S., by Matthew Clarke
- Alabama DOC Short Hair Policy Does Not Violate RLUIPA, by David Reutter
- First Circuit Dismisses Appeal of Court’s Failure to Sanction Federal Prosecutor, by Matthew Clarke
- Eighth Circuit Upholds Injunction Over Cameras in Restrooms at Civil Commitment Center, by Matthew Clarke
- Former New Mexico State Senator Released from Prison
- Transferred Prisoner May Sue Oklahoma Officials in Oregon Court, by Mark Wilson
- Eleventh Circuit Tailors Turner for Censorship Claims at Civil Commitment Center, by David Reutter
- Seventh Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Suit Over Placement on Suicide Watch, by Matthew Clarke
- Alabama Work Release Transportation, Medical and Drug Screen Costs Not “Incidental to Confinement”, by David Reutter
- Fifth Circuit: Prisoner Who was Raped May Proceed with Lawsuit against Lock Company, by Matthew Clarke
- Massachusetts: Acquittal on Additional Sex Offense Doesn’t Trigger Reevaluation of Sex Offender Classification, by Matthew Clarke
- BOP Criticized for Failing to Oversee Healthcare Administrator at FCC Butner, by Derek Gilna
- New Report Cites Fewer HIV-Positive State and Federal Prisoners, by Matthew Clarke
- Selection and Retention Process for Tennessee Appellate Court Judges Challenged, by Christopher McWhorter
- Sentence Reductions for “Snitching” Undermine U.S. Justice System, by Derek Gilna
- Settlement Opens Georgia Courtrooms to the Public, by David Reutter
- Do Residency Bans Drive Sex Offenders Underground?, by Steven Yoder
- CCA Has Long History of Wage Violations, Poor Treatment of Employees
- Private Debt Collection Companies Contract with District Attorney’s Offices, by David Reutter
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Texas: Unconstitutional to Revoke Probation Due to Refusal to Self-Incriminate During Polygraph or Therapy, by Matthew Clarke
- News in Brief
More from Matthew Clarke:
- Seventh Circuit Grants Qualified Immunity to Detectives Who Revealed Prisoner Was Informant, Denies Him Anonymity, Aug. 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Holds Federal Law Prohibits County Jail from Forcing Immigration Detainees to Perform Custodial Labor by Threatening Solitary Confinement, Aug. 1, 2026
- New Mexico Supreme Court Holds Corrections Department Regulations Do Not Exempt Use-Of-Force Documents from Public Records Disclosure, Aug. 1, 2026
- DOJ Issues Memorandum Over BOP Employees Abusing Their Law Enforcement Credentials to Illegally Purchase Personal Firearms, Aug. 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Upholds Summary Judgment Against Former Illinois Prison Guards Challenging Termination for Violating Use of Force Policy, Aug. 1, 2026
- Federal Court Issues Preliminary Injunction Barring Enforcement of Executive Order to Transfer Trans Women Prisoners to Men’s Prisons, Aug. 1, 2026
- Idaho Supreme Court Holds Indigent Parents Have Constitutional Right to Counsel at Public Expense, July 1, 2026
- Free Phone Calls Saved Prisoners and Their Families More than $600 Million, Report Finds, July 1, 2026
- California Appeals Court Holds Defendant Cannot Be Penalized for Failing to Appear at Sentencing When He Was Being Held in Another County’s Jail on Preexisting Charges, July 1, 2026
- SCOTUS Reverses Mississippi Capital Conviction, July 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- $3 Million Settlement Reached with BOP for Attorney’s Fees in Sex Abuse Class-Action from Now-Shuttered California “Rape Club”, Aug. 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Attorney Fee Awards, Settlements, Consent Decrees, Class Actions.
- Louisiana Supreme Court Declares Unconstitutional Statute Stripping Courts of Authority to Order Payment of Indigent Defense Expert Funds, Holding the Law Infringes on Judiciary’s Constitutionally Granted Jurisdiction Over Felony Cases, July 1, 2026. Indigent Defense, Constitution, state, Discretionary/Inherent Powers, Indigent Defendants - Fees and Expenses, Authority and Jurisdiction.
- Oregon Supreme Court Announces Bright-Line Rule Requiring Dismissal Without Prejudice When State Fails to Appoint Counsel for Eligible Criminal Defendant Within 60 Days in Misdemeanor Cases or 90 Days in Felony Cases Post-Arraignment, March 1, 2026. Appointment of Counsel, Public Defenders, Indigent Defense, Constitution, state, Counsel - Right to.
- Maryland Supreme Court Announces Public Defender Act Requires Effective Assistance of Counsel in Certiorari Petition Where Public Defender Appointed Panel Attorney for Direct Appeal and Certiorari Petition, Dec. 15, 2025. Public Defenders, Indigent Defense, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Strickland Standard.
- Over $222,000 in Legal Costs and Fees Awarded to HRDC in Florida Records Suit Against Centurion, Dec. 1, 2025. Attorney Fee Awards, Costs, Disclosure of Records, Public Records, Public Records Act.
- Maine Superior Court Order to Reform Public Defender System Paused on Appeal, Dec. 1, 2025. Indigent Defense, Injunctions, Habeas Corpus, Sixth Amendment, Counsel - Constructive denial of.
- Nearly $528,000 Paid by Kansas Jail to Detainees Raped by Guards, Nov. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Attorney Fee Awards, Prison Rape Elimination Act, Failure to Train/Supervise, Monell Liability.
- Indigent Defense: Appointed Counsel Does Not Mean Free Counsel, Dec. 1, 2024. Appointment of Counsel, Indigent Defense, Indigent Defendants - Fees and Expenses.
- $60,000 Settlement for Kansas Prisoner’s Excessive Force Claim, $578,000 for His Attorneys, Sept. 15, 2024. Attorney Fee Awards, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Settlements.
- Illinois Prisoner Awarded Over $822,000 For Hernia Care Denied by Wexford Health, July 1, 2024. Wexford Health Services, Failure to Treat, Attorney Fee Awards, Attorney Fees (PLRA), Damages - Punitive.

