Texas appeals court to review case of woman convicted after swearing at Tarrant Commissioners Court – Fort Worth Report

Texas appeals court to review case of woman convicted after swearing at Tarrant Commissioners Court  Fort Worth Report

Carolyn Rodriguez, who is arguing her freedom of speech was violated, was arrested after cursing during a January 2025 meeting. The highest appeals court in Texas has agreed to review the case of a woman convicted of disrupting a Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting last year. Carolyn Rodriguez was arrested after cursing during the public comment portion of the meeting in January 2025. Part of her appeal request argues her freedom of speech was violated, the meeting was not hindered in any way and that profanity is not disorderly conduct so long as there were no threats of violence. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted review last Thursday, according to court filings.

Mark Streiff, an attorney for Rodriguez, told KERA News Monday elected officials should listen to their constituents, regardless of whether they agree with them. “We live in a democracy, and we have elected officials that we elect to certain offices,” Streiff said. “They don’t get to be little kings and tyrants.” ✨ Getting the full story takes timeIt also takes all of us. It's only possible with your support. During the January 2025 meeting, commissioners were set to vote on stricter meeting rules that prohibited swearing. In turn, Rodriguez protested these new rules by rattling off several swear words during her allotted time to speak. County Judge