The case is being closely watched for the evidence it might produce, which could in turn affect a pending criminal investigation, also in Austin, where a Travis County grand jury has indicted several top fund-raisers on similar charges.

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Little more than two weeks earlier he had ruled that he did not have jurisdiction to hear the original lawsuit because since the complaint challenged findings of the Railroad Commission, only the Travis County district court in Austin could hear it.

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Even as the city itself has enjoyed strong job and population growth, the biggest increases have taken place in suburban outposts outside city limits, like Williamson, Bastrop and Hays counties, as well as parts of Travis, the county that is home to Austin.

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Sitting about 75 miles south of Dallas and 120 miles north of Austin, West is one of 22 incorporated communities in McLennan County.

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