Hays County, Texas, Ruben Becerra, Debbie Ingalsbe, Michelle Cohen, Morgan Hammer, and Walt Smith, in Their Official Capacities v. Leslie Carnes, Jim Camp, Cathy Ramsey, and Gabrielle Moore

• Court: Court of Appeals of Texas
• Decided: July 16, 2025
• Docket: 15-25-00121-CV
• Status: Published

Opinion

06/27/2025 12:05:13 PM Velva L. Price District Clerk Travis County D-1-GN-25-002049 CAUSE NO. D-1-GN-25-002049

IN RE HAYS COUNTY, TEXAS § DISTRICT COURT FOR THE Plaintiff § § 126TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT § § TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS

CONSOLIDATED WITH CAUSE NO. 24-2885 (HAYS COUNTY)

LESLIE CARNES, JIM CAMP, § IN THE DISTRICT COURT CATHY RAMSEY, and GABRIELLE § MOORE § Intervenor Counter-Plaintiffs § § OF HAYS COUNTY, TEXAS V. § § COUNTY OF HAYS, RUBEN § BECERRA, DEBBIE INGALSBE, § MICHELLE COHEN, LON SHELL, § and WALT SMITH, in their official § capacities § 207TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT Counter-Defendants

FINAL JUDGMENT

On June 17 and 18, 2025, the Court conducted the hearing on Intervenor/Counter-Plaintiffs

Leslie Carnes, Jim Camp, Cathy Ramsey and Gabrielle Moore’s (collectively, the “Intervenors/

Counter-Plaintiffs”) Motion for Summary Judgment on Intervenor/Counter-Plaintiffs’ Election

Contest and also conducted the trial on Hays County, Texas’s (“Petitioner”) First Amended Petition

for Expedited Declaratory Judgment (“Petition”) brought under Chapter 1205 of the Texas

Government Code. Petitioner, the Intervenor/Counter-Plaintiffs, and the Attorney General of Texas

appeared through counsel of record. After considering the pleadings on file, all admissible evidence

properly before the Court, and arguments of counsel, the Court, in its order signed June 23, 2025,

1 granted Intervenor/Counter-Plaintiffs’ Election Contest and declared void the November 5, 2024

Hays County Proposition A road-bond election.

IT IS, THEREFORE,

ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that Petitioner’s First Amended Petition for

Expedited Declaratory Judgment is DENIED in its entirety. IT IS FURTHER

ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that Petitioner’s requests for declarations as

to the validity and legality of the public security authorizations that are the subject matter of its Petition

are hereby DENIED. IT IS FURTHER

ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that this Final Judgment, with respect to each

matter adjudicated at trial and each such matter that could have been raised is binding, conclusive, and

final against Hays County, Texas, the Hays County Commissioners Court, Ruben Becerra, Debbie

Ingalsbe, Michelle Cohen, Lon Shell, and Walt Smith, in their official capacities, the Texas Attorney

General, the Intervenor/Counter-Plaintiffs, and all who reside in Hays County, including property

owners and taxpayers in Hays County, and all who have or claim a right, title, or interest in any

property or money to be affected by the public security authorizations or the issuance of the public

securities made the subject of this lawsuit. IT IS FURTHER

ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that, with respect to the consolidated cases,

other than the relief granted in the Order on the Intervenor/Counter-Plaintiffs’ Motion for Summary

Judgment signed on June 23, 2025, all relief not expressly granted herein is denied. IT IS FURTHER

ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that all court costs are adjudged against

Petitioner. IT IS FURTHER

2 ORDERED, ADJUDGED, AND DECREED that this Final Judgment finally disposes of

all parties and all claims and constitutes a FINAL JUDGMENT.

26th day of June, 2025. SIGNED this _______

Catherine Mauzy Presiding District Court Judge

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

MCGINNIS LOCHRIDGE LLP

_/s/ Ian Davis______________ Signed by permission Michael Shaunessy mshaunessy@mcginnislaw.com Ian Davis idavis@mcginnislaw.com Austin Jones ajones@mcginnislaw.com 1111 West Sixth Street, Building B, Suite 400 Austin, Texas 78703 Attorneys for Plaintiff/Counter-Defendants Hays County, Texas, Ruben Becerra, Debbie Ingalsbe, Michelle Cohen, Lon Shell, and Walt Smith, in their official capacities

ALESHIRELAW, P.C.

_/s/ Bill Aleshire_____________ Signed by permission Bill Aleshire bill@aleshirelaw.com 3605 Shady Valley Drive Austin, Texas 78739 Attorney for Intervenor/Counter-Plaintiffs Leslie Carnes, Jim Camp, Cathy Ramsey, and Gabrielle Moore

OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS

/s/ Lynn Saarinen ____________ Lynn Saarinen Assistant Attorney General lynn.saarinen@oag.texas.gov 300 West 15th Street, 12th Floor Austin, Texas 78701-1649 Attorney for Ken Paxton, Attorney General of Texas 3