Reese Marketos secured a win for the press Dec. 19, 2025 when the firm reached a joint agreement with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and state Sen. Angela Paxton to unseal the records in their divorce. Ken Paxton, who will run for U.S. Senate in 2026, had previously filed an opposition to RM’s motion to unseal filed on behalf of a coalition of media clients.
In a Collin County district court, visiting judge Bob Brotherton approved a joint order on Friday morning that the parties had reached the evening prior. The agreement vacates a previous order that sealed the records and restores full public access to all court records, filings, and any other materials previously sealed in the case.
The parties came to their agreement on the condition that sensitive personal information, such as Social Security numbers, is redacted. Redactions are limited solely to personal identifying information under Texas rules.
Angela Paxton filed for divorce from Ken Paxton July 10, 2025, citing adultery on “biblical grounds,” and within days filed a successful motion to seal the records. The media coalition filed its plea of intervention Sept. 16, 2025, arguing that the grounds for the proceedings were of significant public interest because they “bear on integrity in public office, potential use of public resources, and transparency in judicial proceedings.”
RM’s coalition of media client includes The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Hearst Newspapers (which owns the Houston Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News, San Antonio Express-News, and Austin American-Statesman), ProPublica, The Texas Lawbook, The Texas Observer, The Texas Tribune, and The Texas Newsroom.
“The ruling today is a victory not only for our media clients and the First Amendment but also for voters in Texas,” said RM partner Tyler Bexley, lead attorney for the intervenor media outlets. We are pleased with the result, and our clients look forward to continuing their endless pursuit of justice for the American people. “Texas voters – and the reporters who help inform them – have a right to know about anything that may affect their voting decisions before hitting the polls.”
RM partners Joel Reese and Kendal Simpson also assisted on the case. The media coalition entered the case as a co-intervenor with the Campaign for Accountability.
The divorce case is 468-54065-2025 in Collin County’s 468th District Court.
Press coverage of the outcome:
The Dallas Morning News: https://www.dallasnews.com/news/2025/12/19/texas-attorney-general-ken-paxton-wife-divorce-hearing-judge-collin-county/
The Texas Lawbook: https://texaslawbook.net/documents-unsealed-in-paxton-divorce-case/
Texas Tribune: https://www.texastribune.org/2025/12/19/records-in-texas-ag-ken-paxtons-divorce-case-are-unsealed/
Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/ken-paxton-texas-divorce-republican-senate-57039be35a95e9dec48fa64b3028358a
CBS News: https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/ken-angela-paxton-unseal-divorce-records-collin-county/
Fox 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth: https://www.fox4news.com/news/texas-ken-paxton-angela-paxton-unseal-divorce-records