LLANO COUNTY PRESS RELEASE                                          FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION

LLANO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT

Llano County Library                                                      February 9, 2026

Llano, TX- 9:00 AM-

Federal Court Rejects Plaintiffs’ Claims in Llano County Library Lawsuit

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in Little v. Llano County represents a rejection of the Plaintiffs’ claims in this case closing more than three years of litigation and confirming—decisively—that Llano County acted lawfully in managing its public library collections. The plaintiffs’ allegations of “book banning” have now failed Appeals Court and the United States Supreme Court has declined to take the case, leaving the Fifth Circuit’s ruling in place.

The plaintiffs insisted that the First Amendment required Llano County to keep specific books on library shelves. The Fifth Circuit rejected that theory outright, reaffirming that public libraries have broad discretion to curate their collections. On December 8, 2025, the Supreme Court declined to review the case, leaving the Fifth Circuit’s ruling intact and ending the plaintiffs’ attempt to use federal courts to control local library policy.

“This ruling confirms what the evidence has shown from day one: Llano County did not ban books, did not target viewpoints, and did not violate anyone’s constitutional rights,” said Llano County Judge Ron Cunningham.

Between 2021 and 2022, the Llano Library system removed more than 7,000 outdated or no longer useful books under the CREW Method, a standard practice used across Texas. The plaintiffs seized on 17 of those books to construct a narrative of censorship—despite sworn testimony that the books were removed for routine, content neutral reasons. The record showed no evidence of unconstitutional conduct.

The County attempted to resolve the matter early by offering continued access to the 17 books through an in house checkout system that has existed since at least 2013. The plaintiffs rejected that solution. Instead, they demanded sweeping control over library operations, including staffing mandates, forced adherence to outside organizations’ policies, and more than $10 million in financial commitments—demands that bore no relationship to the facts of the case or the governing law.

Llano County refused those demands and pursued its legal remedies. The courts have now fully vindicated that decision.

Commissioner Jerry Don Moss stated, “With this case behind us, we will finalize updated library policies that ensure parental control over what minors check out, clear age-appropriate sections, and labeling that helps parents make informed decisions.”

The County is grateful for the legal representation provided by former Texas Solicitor General Jonathan F. Mitchell, who successfully defended the County before the Fifth Circuit and the Supreme Court, the