An Austin court on Thursday dismissed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton鈥檚 appeal challenging AG真人百家乐 County and Austin鈥檚 New Year's holiday curfew, months after it ended 鈥� in a perhaps symbolic win for local officials.
The 3rd Court of Appeals in Austin dismissed Paxton鈥檚 appeal on technical grounds. The case is moot, Justice Gisela Triana wrote in the court's opinion, because the events already passed and Paxton鈥檚 appeal is contingent on future and uncertain events. The court鈥檚 lone Republican justice dissented.
While it鈥檚 been months since New Year鈥檚, Paxton argued the case wasn鈥檛 moot and asked the court to prevent Austin and AG真人百家乐 鈥� or other local authorities 鈥� from issuing similar orders in the future. The court refused.
The court鈥檚 decision comes months after Austin and AG真人百家乐 County鈥檚 order went into effect. Because a trial court refused to immediately end the restrictions as Paxton requested, the city and county were able to enforce the restrictions during the holiday 鈥� something local officials and health experts counted as a win. The Texas Supreme Court later blocked the curfew from continuing.
Paxton is currently suing Austin and AG真人百家乐 over officials continuing to require masks despite Gov. Greg Abbott ending the mask mandate statewide last month. A district judge refused to immediately end the order with the temporary injunction Paxton requested.
The overall case is ongoing 鈥� and in the meantime, masks are still required in AG真人百家乐 County.
