COVID and docket conditions

In re Torres granted relief in a failure-to-rule mandamus proceeding. The issue of the effect of COVID-19 came up in the Fifth Court’s review of the record, and the Court observed:

Although real parties Diaz and Galvan make the general claim that trial courts are facing staffing shortages and COVID-related delays, the record before this Court does not contain any indication that the COVID-19 pandemic has prevented the trial judge from ruling on the pending motion. … Indeed, as this Court has noted in a prior case, “courts across Texas—including this Court—have continued to fully tend to most business of the courts and serve the citizens of Texas while implementing safety precautions above and beyond recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and accommodating Covid-19-related exigencies.”

No. 05-22-00715-CV (Dec. 7, 2022) (mem. op.) (citations omitted).