Two Houston lawyers, Brian Wice and Kent Schaffer, who prosecuted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for securities fraud, have been denied $200,000 in backpay. A state appeals court has overturned a trial court’s approval for their legal services, ruling that Harris County Judge Andrea Beall lacked the authority to set pay beyond the $2,000 cap established by commissioners in the county where the case originated.
The decision was rendered by three justices on the Texas Court of Appeals, First District. According to their ruling, the judge’s move to approve an hourly rate of $300 earlier this year was beyond her jurisdiction. This ruling returns the special prosecutors to the standard fees that had been in place.
The legal battle over these fees has resulted in lengthy delays in Paxton’s felony case. The appeals court’s decision emphasizes the limitations of judicial authority in setting compensation beyond established statutory limits, even in high-profile legal scenarios. For additional information and updates, visit the full article.