Luis Soberon

Senior Policy Advisor and In House Counsel

Luis.Soberon@Texas2036.org

Luis is responsible for justice policy at Texas 2036. He covers issues across the justice system from the regulation of law enforcement, to the efficacy of state courts, through various reforms in prisons and beyond. In his role as In House Counsel, Luis provides legal support across Texas 2036's various teams.

Posts

Hays County: A Backlog Of Pending Court Cases

July 8, 2022

On July 6, 2022, Texas 2036 Policy Advisor Luis Soberon spoke with KXAN about data on Hays County’s criminal court backlog and how it relates to Texans who are waiting for trial in county jails. Here, he offers some additional context to court backlogs. The story of Hays County, Texas is similar to the situation…

Crime in Texas – Perceptions, Realities, and Data Challenges

April 12, 2022

Texas voters generally think crime is increasing in their community. To check that perception, the latest FBI data gives us a rough sketch of the reality on the ground. However, the actual situation for many communities in Texas and for the state as a whole is still hazy given gaps in the data. PERCEPTION In...

Justice Delayed: Addressing the Criminal Court Backlog in Texas

January 26, 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected virtually every facet of state government, and Texas’ criminal courts are no exception. In an average pre-pandemic week, 186 criminal jury trials would be held across Texas. That figure dropped to an average of 4 per week in 2020, despite many courts using virtual hearings and socially distanced proceedings. The...

Breaking the Court Backlog

December 7, 2021

Texas is facing a pandemic-related backlog of over 142,000 criminal cases that could take many years for the Texas courts to resolve. If left unaddressed, it could result in serious costs to taxpayers and communities across Texas. Before the pandemic, the Texas judiciary managed to hold a weekly average of 186 jury trials across the...

SB 8 Funding Addresses Texas’ Court Backlog

October 25, 2021

In my first Texas 2036 blog post, I talked about the criminal docket crisis in our courts and how the federal funds available to the Legislature during the most recent special session represented one way to address the problem. With the passage of SB 8 (87-3), the Legislature made a vital downpayment representing a first...

Justice Delayed: Addressing the Criminal Docket Crisis in Texas

October 7, 2021

Texas is facing a backlog of over 142,000 criminal cases that could take many years for the Texas courts to resolve. If left unaddressed, it could result in serious costs to taxpayers and communities across Texas. While solutions in some communities may vary depending on local circumstances, leaders in state government can help avoid some...