Attorney General Ken Paxton has issued a notice to Texas courts outlining new requirements for notifying the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) regarding temporary restraining orders (TROs) in matters related to the Texas Election Code.
Beginning September 1, 2025, all courts in Texas must notify the OAG as soon as possible about any hearing on an application for a TRO under the Election Code. This notification is intended to ensure that the OAG is kept informed about proceedings that could affect how Texas election laws are enforced.
Section 273.082 of state law requires courts to allow the OAG to participate remotely in hearings on TROs brought under the Election Code. Courts are also prohibited from issuing a TRO until at least one hour after giving notice to the Attorney General. The statute states that any order issued without following these procedures is void and unenforceable under Texas law.
To help with compliance, the OAG has set up an online submission form for required notices, which delivers them directly to agency staff.
The Office of the Attorney General stated: “The Office of the Attorney General encourages all courts, clerks, and practitioners handling Election Code matters to review Section 273.082 carefully and to utilize the designated online form to ensure prompt and proper notice in accordance with Texas law.”
The notice form can be accessed online.
The Attorney General of Texas operates through 117 offices across the state and includes more than 4,000 employees working in 38 divisions. About 750 attorneys manage over 30,000 cases each year for various legal and public service tasks such as child support enforcement and consumer fraud prevention (official website). The office coordinates efforts among its divisions and provides legal counsel for government entities while defending residents through enforcement of consumer protections (official website).