The divorce records of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton have been made public following a court order signed by Judge Robert Brotherton. This decision came after Paxton and his wife, state Senator Angela Paxton, reached an agreement on Thursday to unseal the documents, marking a significant shift from their previous efforts to keep the records confidential.
Tyler Bexley, an attorney representing a coalition of media organizations advocating for transparency, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, highlighting it as a victory for openness in the judicial process. “We’re certainly pleased with the result,” he stated following the hearing.
The release of the records, which occurred before noon, reveals that the couple has entered mediation and indicates that their blind trust has allocated $20,000 to each party for legal expenses. Additionally, the documents disclose that earlier this month, Angela Paxton requested her husband to provide relevant records for the case. It also notes that several judges recused themselves from the proceedings before the case was assigned to Brotherton, a visiting judge based in Wichita Falls.
Although some prior documents had already been released, including Paxton’s general denial of his wife’s divorce petition, the newly unsealed records do not elaborate on the couple’s financial matters, asset division, or the alleged infidelity that prompted the divorce. However, more filings are anticipated as the case progresses. Bexley confirmed that the media organizations consented to redactions of sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers and home addresses.
Angela Paxton initiated divorce proceedings in July, citing allegations of adultery, and subsequently requested that the court records be sealed. A previous judge acquiesced to this request, resulting in all records being classified. Initially, Ken Paxton supported this decision and submitted documentation accusing the media of intruding into his personal life.
Eight media organizations and a nonpartisan nonprofit opposed the sealing of the records, arguing that due to Paxton’s position as an elected official facing ongoing allegations of corruption, the divorce records should be publicly accessible. The financial matters central to the divorce are intertwined with the misconduct allegations that have surfaced during Paxton’s tenure in office. Despite multiple charges over the years, he has yet to be convicted of any crimes.
Currently, Ken Paxton is challenging John Cornyn in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate.
After the hearing, Laura Roach, one of Paxton’s attorneys, stated that the attorney general had always been in favor of unsealing the records. “Mr. Paxton has always wanted us to actually unseal it,” she explained. When questioned about his initial opposition, she attributed it to standard legal procedures, stating, “that’s just legal stuff… His attorneys said that.”
Angela Paxton had argued for sealing the records on the grounds that it would not adversely impact public health or safety. Her representatives did not provide a comment following the latest developments.
Michael Clauw, the communications director for the Campaign for Accountability, a nonprofit that advocated for the release of the records, expressed skepticism about Ken Paxton’s claims of wanting transparency. “It’s ridiculous to believe that Ken Paxton ‘always wanted’ his divorce record to be unsealed,” he remarked, suggesting that his position changed only in response to the likelihood of losing in court.
Roach expressed optimism that the case would reach an amicable resolution soon, although neither Ken nor Angela Paxton was present in court for the proceedings.
