Tex. Gov't Code § 22.304 : Government Code — Judicial Branch — Courts — Appellate Courts — General Provisions — Court Sitting in Panels for Certain Election Proceedings; Criminal Offense TEXT PDF (a) In this section, "public official" means any person elected, selected, appointed, employed, or otherwise designated as an officer, employee, or agent of this state, a government agency, a political subdivision, or any other public body established by state law. (b) Notwithstanding any other law or rule, a court proceeding entitled to priority under Section 22.305 and filed in a court of appeals shall be docketed by the clerk of the court and assigned to a panel of three justices determined using an automated assignment system. (c) A person, including a public official, commits an offense if the person communicates with a court clerk with the intention of influencing or attempting to influence the composition of a three-justice panel assigned a specific proceeding under this section. (d) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor. Tex. Gov't. Code § 22.304 Added by Acts 2021SP2, Texas Acts of the 87th Legislature - Second Special Session, ch. TBD,Sec. 8.05, eff. 12/2/2021.