Judge Denies Texas Attorney General’s Effort to Halt Fairground Gun Ban

Paxton had sought an injunction on the State Fair of Texas’s ban on fairgoers carrying firearms at this year’s event.

Participants march in the annual Opening Day Parade at the State Fair of Texas in Dallas on Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. This year's fair opens Sept. 27. Lola Gomez/Dallas Morning News/TNS

A Dallas judge on Sept. 19 denied Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s effort to prevent the nonprofit organization, the State Fair of Texas, from banning fairgoers from carrying firearms this year.

Dallas County District Judge Emily Tobolowsky struck down the state’s request for a temporary injunction after agreeing with the City of Dallas and the State Fair, which had argued they could enforce a firearm ban as a private nonprofit.