the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals created an emergency e-mail filing system Tuesday...

the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals created an emergency e-mail filing system Tuesday, hoping to avoid a repeat of an execution process that has raised national alarm.
For more than a month, Presiding Judge Sharon Keller has faced withering criticism and national attention for her decision not to keep the court open for an extra 20 to 30 minutes to review an emergency death penalty appeal.
The problem stemmed from a Sept. 25 appeal for Texas inmate Michael Richard. Defense lawyers called the clerk's office shortly before 5 p.m. to say they had suffered computer problems and asked the court to remain open so they could hand-deliver their appeal, as required.
2 weeks ago, more than 300 lawyers – including four former State Bar presidents and 2 former Texas Supreme Court justices – signed a petition calling for an e-mail filing system for the Court of Criminal Appeals.