The issue focused on her rights to legal counsel. All criminal cases are civil, and federal law allows lawyers to represent clients in court. However, Texas law says attorneys may not use their law license for political activities. Law enforcement officials said they were concerned that Justice was using the attorney's law license to campaign.

A lawyer from one of Justice's law firms — Attorney Renee Clifton has also worked with Justice on legislative issues — called the lawsuit "frivolous" and an attempt to score