Federal judge blocks Texas attorney general from dissolving Jolt Initiative Inc.

February 17, 2026

On January 29, 2026, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman granted a preliminary injunction that stops Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from dissolving Jolt Initiative Inc. The order freezes a quo warranto petition that sought to revoke Jolt's corporate charter over alleged irregularities in voter registration requests.

Jolt, headquartered in Austin, organizes voter registration and civic education across Texas and says it registered more than 3,000 Latino voters in 2025. The group runs programs to build leadership among high school and college students and previously maintained a presence at the University of Texas at Austin, which is no longer active.

Paxton initiated the quo warranto action, claiming Jolt submitted voter registration forms that violated the Texas Election Code. His office also labeled the organization partisan and accused it of attempting to compromise the voter rolls, prompting the attorney general to seek termination of its corporate status.

Jolt responded by filing a federal lawsuit, asserting the state's move infringes on the group's First Amendment protections and the voting rights of the people it serves. In its motion for a preliminary injunction, Jolt warned that losing its charter would amount to an organizational death blow, chilling volunteers and discouraging voters from participating.

Judge Pitman, appointed to the federal bench in 2014, found the attorney general acted in bad faith when he brought the quo warranto proceeding, a finding that supported the temporary block. Jonathan Becker, who represents Jolt and is an attorney with the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, said the ruling signals a strong likelihood that Jolt can prove the state action violates free speech rights.

Jolt's executive director called the decision a clear win for the group's volunteers and the young Latino voters they mobilize, saying it rebuffs what they view as political harassment. Becker added that the ruling underscores limits on how the attorney general may use his powers when First Amendment and voting rights are at stake.

The injunction is provisional and the underlying dispute remains unresolved. Courts will still need to decide whether Paxton may pursue the quo warranto action to its end or whether that effort unlawfully targets Jolt's civic work. Meanwhile, Jolt says it will continue voter outreach in Austin, San Antonio and other Texas communities as the legal fight continues.

Observers note this case highlights larger statewide debates over election integrity, civil rights and the role of community organizations in registering and educating young Latino voters.