Given how politics works in the Lone Star State, a defense attorney could make a killing representing the Republican incumbency. After all, Texas is a land of opportunity — if opportunity were defined as “reckless disregard for legal precedent and moral foundation.”
Next week, attorney general Ken Paxton and will appear before a federal judge in San Antonio to determine whether or not he should be held in contempt for violating a court order that prohibited enforcement of the state’s ban on same-sex marriage following the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. In addition to the possibility Paxton committed securities fraud, he may have violated the orders of U.S. district judge Orlando Garcia.
He’s going to need a solid defense attorney to help him contend with this growing list of charges.
The fulcrum for these new charges is John Allen Stone-Hoskins of Conroe, Texas. He and his spouse, James, were married in New Mexico. James died in January and his death certificate listed James as “single” and John Allen as his “significant other.” Following the verdict in Obergefell v. Hodges, John Allen petitioned the state to amend James’ death certificate to reflect their marital status. The state refused, saying they were reviewing whether the decision retroactively applied to James Stone-Hoskins’ death certificate, which was issued five months prior to the decision.
John Allen Stone-Hoskins filed a suit Wednesday.
Also on Wednesday, Judge Garcia ordered the state to correct James Stone-Hoskins’ death certificate.
Judge Garcia’s order for the state to amend James Stone-Hoskins’ death certificate is a huge relief for John Allen, who must get his affairs in order quickly. John Allen Stone-Hoskins is terminally ill and has been given less than two months to live.
Life can’t seem to get any worse for Ken Paxton. Of course, when it comes to being a defense attorney, the worse off your client, the bigger your pay day.
