June 10, 2021
A state case has now been filed in the state of Texas against Houston Methodist by plaintiffs regarding forced Covid-19 vaccination requirements for the workplace and has been identified as a ‘case of first impression’. A ‘case of first impression’ includes a legal issue that has never been ruled on by a court that has jurisdiction over the case. This type of case requires a court to make a decision or interpretation of the point of law. The decision often becomes binding precedent in the jurisdiction in which the case is decided.
Regarding State vs Federal Court petitions, according to Findlaw’s legal writers and editors | Last updated June 20, 2016
“State and local courts are established by a state (within states there are also local courts that are established by cities, counties, and other municipalities, which we are including in the general discussion of state courts). Federal courts are established under the U.S. Constitution to decide disputes involving the Constitution and laws passed by Congress. The differences between federal and state courts are defined mainly by jurisdiction. Jurisdiction refers to the kinds of cases a court is authorized to hear.
State courts have broad jurisdiction, so the cases individual citizens are most likely to be involved in — such as robberies, traffic violations, broken contracts, and family disputes — are usually tried in state courts. The only cases state courts are not allowed to hear are lawsuits against the United States and those involving certain specific federal laws: criminal, antitrust, bankruptcy, patent, copyright, and some maritime cases.”
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