This week, the Texas Supreme Court has its first oral-argument sitting of the new year. The Court is scheduled to hear nine arguments:

Tuesday 1-15-2008, 9:00 am

• Southwestern Bell Telephone, L.P. v. Harris County Toll Road Authority, No. 06-0933
• State Farm Lloyds v. Johnson, No. 06-1071
• Galveston Central Appraisal District v. TRQ Captain’s Landing, No. 07-0010

Wednesday 1-16-2008, 9:00 am

• Bison Building Materials, Ltd. v. Aldridge, No. 06-1084
• In re GlobalSantaFe Corp., No. 07-0040
• East Texas Salt Water Disposal Co. v. Werline, No. 07-0135

Thursday 1-17-2008, 9:00 am

• Columbia Rio Grande Healthcare, L.P. v. Hamley, No. 06-0372
• In re Gulf Exploration, LLC, No. 07-0055
• Trammell Crow Central Texas, Ltd. v. Guttierez, No. 07-0091

The summaries of each case prepared by the Court’s Staff Attorney for Public Information, Osler McCarthy, are available at this page hosted by St. Mary’s University School of Law.

Editorial note: Because the Court already provides those useful issue summaries, the blog will take a somewhat different approach. Only rarely will the blog provide a detailed write-up on the eve of argument. Instead, in cases where the oral argument turns out to be particularly interesting, the blog will recap and analyze what took place.

Texas Supreme Court arguments are open to the public and a video feed is simulcast through an arrangement with St. Mary’s. The Court’s website will later provide an audio-only version for download.