Court Opinion

ID: 9768862
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 13:53:23.144012+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:30:47.655569
License: Public Domain

COOK, Justice,
dissenting.
I join in the dissenting opinion written by my colleague, Justice Hecht. However, I feel I must also write independently in order that the people of Texas more fully understand what the majority of the court is doing. Under the Constitution of the State of Texas the legislature has the exclusive power to enact laws. The role of the Supreme Court of Texas is to interpret them. The law has to be more than naked power. However, the majority of the court is using the “power to interpret the law” as a method to in fact make the law. If our constitutional form of government is to mean anything then the separation of powers should be respected.
The majority in this case has totally ignored the clear intent of the statute and has significantly weakened governmental immunity in Texas. Life is not death, black is not white, and, under the statute, use is not non-use. I therefore vigorously dissent.