What is a Nuisance?

The nuisance lawsuit filed against the Rio Motel last month is the 10th such suit Attorney General John Cornyn has brought against an establishment since taking office. The AG’s office provided a list of definitions that constitute a common nuisance. It includes repeated activity of:

Prostitution

Gambling

Organized crime

Controlled substances

Firearm discharges

Alcohol violations

Aggravated assault

Sexual assault/aggravated sexual assault

Robbery/aggravated robbery

Unlawfully carrying weapon

Obscenity

Spitting is okay.

The AG’s office says it takes more than one offense to constitute a nuisance, although there is no magic number.

This article appears in September 17 • 1999.

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