IDEA Public Schools v. Ken Paxton, in His Official Capacity as Attorney General of the State of Texas

ACCEPTED
15-25-00218-CV
FIFTEENTH COURT OF APPEALS
AUSTIN, TEXAS
1/6/2026 10:36 AM
No. 15-25-00218-CV CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE
CLERK
FILED IN
In the Court of Appeals for the Fifteenth District, Austin, TexasOF APPEALS
15th COURT
AUSTIN, TEXAS
1/6/2026 10:36:16 AM
CHRISTOPHER A. PRINE
IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, Clerk
Appellant,
v.

KEN PAXTON, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE
STATE OF TEXAS,
Appellee.

On Appeal from the 200th District Court of Travis County, Texas
The Honorable Daniela DeSeta Lyttle, Presiding

APPELLEE’S NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTION OF LEAD COUNSEL

Pursuant to Tex. R. App. P. 6.5(d), Appellee Ken Paxton, in his official

capacity as Attorney General for the State of Texas, files this Notice of

Substitution of Lead Counsel. Mr. Paxton’s attorney-in-charge has, until today,

been Lauren McGee. This case has now been internally transferred to Assistant

Attorney General Karen L. Watkins.

Therefore, Assistant Attorney General Karen L. Watkins is now

substituting for Ms. McGee as Mr. Paxton’s lead counsel. Ms. Watkins will now

be responsible for this suit and shall be the attorney to receive all

communications from the Court and other parties at the address indicated on

the following page.
A copy of this Notice has also been provided to Ms. Tamara Smith, Chief

of the Open Records Division of the Office of the Attorney General in accordance

with Tex. R. App. P. 6.5(b).

Respectfully submitted,

KEN PAXTON
Attorney General of Texas

BRENT WEBSTER
First Assistant Attorney General

RALPH MOLINA
Deputy First Assistant Attorney General

AUSTIN KINGHORN
Deputy Attorney General for Civil Litigation

ERNEST C. GARCIA
Chief, Administrative Law Division

/s/Karen L. Watkins
KAREN L. WATKINS
State Bar No. 20927425
Assistant Attorney General
Administrative Law Division
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS
P.O. Box 12548, Capitol Station
Austin, Texas 78711-2548
Telephone: (512) 475-4208
Karen.Watkins@oag.texas.gov

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLEE

Notice of Substitution of Lead Counsel
Cause No. 15-25-00218-CV Page 2
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that a true and correct copy of the foregoing Notice of
Substitution of Lead Counsel has been served on January 6, 2026, on the
following counsel of record by e-service and/or e-mail:

CHRISTOPHER H. SCHULZ
State Bar No. 24060576
ALLEN KELLER
State Bar No. 24070039
JOSEPH E. HOFFER
State Bar No. 24049462
Schulman, Lopez, Hoffer & Adelstein, LLP
845 Proton Road
San Antonio, Texas 78258
Tel.: (210) 538-5385
cschulz@slh-law.com
akeller@slh-law.com
jhoffer@slh-law.com

ATTORNEYS FOR APPELLANT
IDEA PUBLIC SCHOOLS

/s/ Karen L. Watkins
KAREN L. WATKINS
Assistant Attorney General

Notice of Substitution of Lead Counsel
Cause No. 15-25-00218-CV Page 3
Automated Certificate of eService
This automated certificate of service was created by the efiling system.
The filer served this document via email generated by the efiling system
on the date and to the persons listed below. The rules governing
certificates of service have not changed. Filers must still provide a
certificate of service that complies with all applicable rules.

Jeff Lutz on behalf of Karen Watkins
Bar No. 20927425
jeff.lutz@oag.texas.gov
Envelope ID: 109694832
Filing Code Description: Other Document
Filing Description: 2026 0106 Ntc of Sub Lead Counsel KW
Status as of 1/6/2026 10:40 AM CST

Case Contacts

Name BarNumber Email TimestampSubmitted Status

Allen M.Keller akeller@slh-law.com 1/6/2026 10:36:16 AM SENT

Christopher H.Schulz cschulz@slh-law.com 1/6/2026 10:36:16 AM SENT

Joseph E.Hoffer jhoffer@slh-law.com 1/6/2026 10:36:16 AM SENT

Taylor Norman tnorman@slh-law.com 1/6/2026 10:36:16 AM SENT

Lauren McGee 24128835 Lauren.mcgee@oag.texas.gov 1/6/2026 10:36:16 AM SENT

Karen Watkins karen.watkins@oag.texas.gov 1/6/2026 10:36:16 AM SENT

Jeff Lutz jeff.lutz@oag.texas.gov 1/6/2026 10:36:16 AM SENT