The Texas Supreme Court will be holding oral arguments this Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2008, in Dallas at the SMU Dedman School of Law.  The following three cases are set for oral argument beginning at 9:00am:

Entergy Gulf States, Inc. v. Summers, No. 05-0272; from Jefferson County, Ninth Court of Appeals (09-04-00152-CV, __S.W.3d__, 12-30-04) (originally argued Jan. 24, 2007, with opinion delivered Aug. 31, 2007, and rehearing granted April 4, 2008) [involving whether a premises owner who hires an independent contractor and provides workers-compensation insurance for the contractor’s employees can be a “statutory employer” for workers comp purposes.]
 

07-0541, TXI Transportation Co., et al. v. Hughes, et al., No. 07-0541; from Wise County, Second Court of Appeals (02-04-00242-CV, 224 S.W.3d 870, 05-25-07) [involving (1) whether evidence that a truck driver involved in a fatal truck-SUV collision was an illegal immigrant was properly admitted for impeachment purposes; (2) whether the trial court improperly overruled a Batson challenge over the only Hispanic venireman struck; (3) whether the trial court improperly excluded defense testimony from a state trooper regarding a tire blowout that might have contributed to cause the accident or cell phone records showing an incoming call to the SUV driver at the time of the accident; and (4) whether the trial court improperly allowed claims for wrongful death of unborn children (the verdict on those claims was not included in the judgment)

City of Dallas v. Abbott; No. 07-0931, from Travis County, Seventh Court of Appeals (07-06-00161-CV, __S.W.3d__, 08-13-07) [whether the Public Information Actions 10-day deadline for requesting an attorney general’s opinion on records disclosure is postponed while the city awaits clarification on the records requested and whether the city can be compelled to disclose privileged information if the request for the attorney general’s opinion was not submitted by the statutory deadline]

If you cannot attend in person, the arguments will be recorded and posted on the supreme court’s website for later viewing.