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Matthew T. Hinterlong sought mandamus relief against Arlington ISD and Rynthia Clements after a trial court denied his motion to compel discovery of a student informant's identity. The informant's tip regarding alcohol in Hinterlong's car led to his expulsion under the school's zero-tolerance policy, despite his later acquittal on criminal charges. Hinterlong argued that the statutory crime stoppers privilege, which protected the informant, was unconstitutional as applied to his civil suit for malicious prosecution, defamation, and negligence, as it severely hampered his ability to pursue these common law claims. The court agreed, ruling that the privilege, in this specific public school zero-tolerance context, unreasonably abrogated Hinterlong's right to redress under the Texas Constitution's open courts provision. Consequently, the court conditionally granted the mandamus, ordering the trial court to vacate its prior order and conduct an in-camera review to determine what information, including the informant's identity, must be disclosed for a fair determination of the merits.
In Re Hinterlong is a workers' compensation case decided in Court of Appeals of Texas. This case addresses legal issues related to compensation claims, benefits, and court rulings.
It is commonly referenced in legal research involving workers' compensation laws in Court of Appeals of Texas.
Full Decision Text1 Pages
Matthew T. Hinterlong sought mandamus relief against Arlington ISD and Rynthia Clements after a trial court denied his motion to compel discovery of a student informant's identity. The informant's tip regarding alcohol in Hinterlong's car led to his expulsion under the school's zero-tolerance policy, despite his later acquittal on criminal charges. Hinterlong argued that the statutory crime stoppers privilege, which protected the informant, was unconstitutional as applied to his civil suit for malicious prosecution, defamation, and negligence, as it severely hampered his ability to pursue these common law claims. The court agreed, ruling that the privilege, in this specific public school zero-tolerance context, unreasonably abrogated Hinterlong's right to redress under the Texas Constitution's open courts provision. Consequently, the court conditionally granted the mandamus, ordering the trial court to vacate its prior order and conduct an in-camera review to determine what information, including the informant's identity, must be disclosed for a fair determination of the merits.
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