On the Records: Legal Spending on Redistricting

The redistricting battle has cost Texas taxpayers nearly $1.5 million in legal expenses — a total that could rise as more invoices filed by Bancroft PLLC, the outside counsel hired by the state to argue its case before the U.S. Supreme Court, are approved for payment.

Although the state's contract with Bancroft included a much steeper hourly rate for lawyers than the state pays its own staff — $520 an hour compared to about $100 — the majority of the Texas Attorney General’s Office spending was for in-house litigation and general counsel, $815,000. Texas has paid $376,800 to Bancroft for legal advice and assistance so far. The state also paid three expert witnesses a total of $118,000 for giving testimony on redistricting.

Use the interactive below to compare spending by category or to see the number of hours billed for legal work by the state’s staff and outside counsel.

*This amount could rise as the Texas Attorney General's Office approves payment of additional invoices filed by Bancroft PLLC.