On November 7, 2017, the Texas Supreme Court issued an opinion in the case of Jefferson County, Texas vs. Jefferson County Constables Association. The primary issue that the court had to decide was whether deputy constables are “police officers” entitled to enter into collective bargaining agreements with their public employees pursuant to Local Government Code Chapter 174. Jefferson County took the position that deputy constables were not “police officers” under Chapter 174 and thus not entitled to collectively bargain. Lance P. Bradley and T. Phillip Brent of Bradley & Steele, LLP Law Firm were lead counsel for the Jefferson County Constables Association and argued that deputy constables are “police officers” pursuant to Chapter 174 and thus entitled to collectively bargain.

The Texas Supreme Court agreed with Bradley & Steele, LLP and the Constables Association finding that deputy constables are “police officers” under the Act Collective Bargaining Act.

This is a great win for local deputy constables and deputy constables across the state of Texas.

Bradley & Steele, LLP is honored to have been able to represent the Jefferson County Constables Association in conjunction with the Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas (CLEAT).

Full opinion: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/tx-supreme-court/1893975.html