The State Bar of Texas sued Paxton for professional misconduct over his 2020 election lawsuit

What happened

In May 2022, the State Bar’s Commission for Lawyer Discipline sued Paxton in Collin County. It alleged that his December 2020 lawsuit challenging the 2020 results in four states (Texas v. Pennsylvania) contained dishonest statements and was brought in bad faith. Possible sanctions ranged from a private reprimand to disbarment. ^{01 02}

The trial court let the case proceed. In April 2024 a divided Fifth Court of Appeals panel in Dallas ruled 2–1 that it could continue, and Paxton asked the Texas Supreme Court to intervene. ⁰³

On Dec. 31, 2024, the Texas Supreme Court threw out a nearly identical case against First Assistant Attorney General Brent Webster, holding that it violated the separation of powers. ⁰⁴ The bar then moved to drop its case against Paxton, and on Feb. 14, 2025, the court dismissed it as moot. ⁰¹

Why it matters

The state agency that polices lawyers’ ethics concluded that Paxton’s own filings warranted discipline. The case was never decided on the facts; it was ended by a ruling that shields the attorney general’s office from this kind of discipline. ^{01 04}

What the sources show

The bar’s claims of misrepresentation and bad faith were allegations that no court decided on the merits. The courts ruled only on whether the case could go forward. The trial court and the Fifth Court of Appeals said it could; the Texas Supreme Court’s Webster ruling effectively ended it. No finding of misconduct and no sanction was ever made. ^{01 03 04}