The attorney general has agreed not to contest a lawsuit brought by former employees accusing him of retaliation after they said he abused his office.

The whistleblowers’ attorneys have pushed to depose Paxton and go to trial. They argue he is desperate to avoid testifying and is attempting to “have it both ways” by denying the former employees the right to prove their allegations in court and also declining to admit any wrongdoing.

The ruling voids a lower-court order requiring Paxton and three other officials to be deposed by four fired executives.