SCOTX Grants Review of Fort Worth Court of Appeals Decision Dismissing Dispute Involving West Virginia Mineral Interests for Lack of Subject Matter Jurisdiction

by George Christian | Jun 26, 2025

The Texas Supreme Court has agreed to review a Fort Worth Court of Appeals’ decision dismissing a dispute concerning the ownership of West Virginia mineral interests. Robert Scott Bauer and Braxton Minerals II, LLC v. Braxton Minerals III, LLC (No. 24-0438; granted...

Texas Supreme Court Finds No Jurisdiction in Products Liability Case Against Foreign Manufacturer of Fuel Pumps

by George Christian | Jun 25, 2025

The Texas Supreme Court has reversed a Corpus Christi Court of Appeals decision affirming a trial court order denying the special appearance of a South Korean parts manufacturer of an allegedly defective fuel pump. Hyundam Industrial Company, Ltd. v. Paul Swacina, as...

SCOTX Finds No Jurisdiction Over Austrian Aircraft Engine Manufacturer in Product Liability Lawsuit

by George Christian | Jun 24, 2025

In a case in which TCJL filed an amicus curiae brief in support of an Austrian aircraft-engine manufacturer in a product liability suit, SCOTX has reversed a Dallas Court of Appeals’ decision that Texas courts had no specific jurisdiction over the manufacturer by...

SCOTX Establishes Standard for Recovery of Equitable Monetary Damages in Breach of Contract Cases Where Nonbreaching Party Seeks Specific Performance

by George Christian | Jun 23, 2025

In a case that conjures up William Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England (1765-69), the Texas Supreme Court has held that the Waco Court of Appeals did not properly consider the rule of equity that permits an award of monetary damages to a party seeking...

SCOTX Reverses Houston [14th] Court of Appeals Decision Declining to Dismiss Suit Against City Based on Emergency Exception to Tort Claims Act

by George Christian | Jun 22, 2025

The Texas Supreme Court has reversed a Houston [14th] Court of Appeals decision that a plaintiff in a personal injury action against the City of Houston raised a material fact issue as to whether a police officer responding to an emergency acted with willful or wanton...

Houston Business Court Considers Standard of Proof for Separate Attorney’s Eyes Only Designation in Protective Orders

by George Christian | Jun 20, 2025

The Houston-area business court [Eleventh Division] has issued an opinion setting out how to apply a balancing test to the question of (1) whether a protective order should have a separate “Attorney’s Eyes Only” designation, and (2) if so, whether the AEO information...

SCOTX Rules That District Court, Not Workers’ Comp Division, Determines Whether Alleged Injury is Work-Related if Employee Didn’t File Claim Raising the Issue

by George Christian | Jun 19, 2025

Affirming the Corpus Christi Court of Appeals, the Texas Supreme Court has held that district courts, rather than the Workers’ Compensation Division, have subject-matter jurisdiction over a determination of whether an injury is work-related for purposes of workers’...

SCOTX to Review San Antonio Court of Appeals Decision Holding That Running, Jogging, and Walking Are Not Recreational

by George Christian | Jun 18, 2025

In a decision reminiscent of the Dallas Court of Appeals’ pronouncement that a tornado is not a windstorm, the Texas Supreme Court has granted the City of San Antonio’s petition for review of a San Antonio Court of Appeals decision that (mind-bogglingly) held that a...

SCOTX Splits 5-4 in Case Stemming from Service Dog Attack on Child

by George Christian | Jun 18, 2025

In a case we reported last October, the Texas Supreme Court has affirmed a Houston [1st] Court of Appeals determination that a claim against the physician based on the physician’s letter regarding the suitability of a pit bull as a service animal was not a...

Senate Version of Federal Tax Bill Imposes Tax on TPLF Proceeds

by George Christian | Jun 17, 2025

Whatever one thinks about the policy of allowing huge hedge funds, some of which are foreign-owned, monetize our court system through third-party litigation funding (and we don’t think much of it), the United States Senate Finance Committee version of the federal tax...