"Supreme Court Considers Political Arrests in Texas"
Originally Published 1 year ago — by The Texas Tribune
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in a Texas case where a former council member sued the city of Castle Hills, alleging she was arrested in retaliation for criticizing the city manager. The case questions whether people who criticize the government can sue local officials over retaliatory arrests, with the court debating the interpretation of previous case law. The plaintiff's arrest for tampering with a government document was later dropped, and she accused the city officials of retaliatory arrest for exercising her First Amendment rights. The court considered whether the plaintiff met the exception outlined in the Nieves v. Bartlett ruling and debated the evidence necessary to prove retaliation.