Houston [14th] Court of Appeals Affirms TC Grant of Summary Judgment, Sanctions, and Attorney’s Fees for Insurer in Dispute with Homeowner

by George Christian | Jun 12, 2026

The Houston [14th] Court of Appeals has affirmed a Galveston County district court’s summary judgment and sanctions order in favor of an insurer in a policy dispute with homeowners. Steven Burns, Jacqueline Burns, Eric B. Dick, and the Dick Law Firm, PLLC v. Standard...

Houston [14th] Court of Appeals Rules That Insured, Absent Independent Injury, May Not Recover on Extracontractual Claims if Insurer Paid Appraisal Award

by George Christian | Jun 11, 2026

The Houston [14th] Court of Appeals has held that an insurer that pays an appraisal award under a homeowner’s policy cannot also be liable for damages for extracontractual claims, absent an independent injury. Mary Brimer v. State Farm Lloyds (No. 14-24-00239-CV;...

Houston [14th] Court of Appeals Reverses TC Denial of TCPA Motion to Dismiss Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress Claim

by George Christian | Jun 10, 2026

The Houston [14th] Court of Appeals has reversed a trial court order denying a restaurant’s TCPA motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging intentional infliction of emotional distress by restaurant employees. Rolling Dough, Ltd. d/b/a Panera Bread v. Uju Anyadike (No....

Houston [1st] Court of Appeals Affirms TC Denial of Summary Judgment in Wrongful Death Case Involving Contact with a High-Voltage Power Line

by George Christian | Jun 9, 2026

The Houston [1st] Court of Appeals has, in a permissive appeal, affirmed a Harris County district court’s denial of a transmission utility’s summary judgment motion in a wrongful death case in which an employee of another entity’s contractor was electrocuted by...

Corpus Christi-Edinburg Court of Appeals Mandamuses Hidalgo County Trial Court for Ignoring Appraisal Clause in Homeowner’s Insurance Policy

by George Christian | Jun 8, 2026

In the latest gem from Hidalgo County trial courts, the Corpus Christi-Edinburg Court of Appeals has mandamused a count court-at-law for bypassing the appraisal clause in a homeowner’s policy and appointing an appraisal umpire from the Plaintiff’s hand-picked list. In...

Dallas Court of Appeals Rules for Tenant in Lease Dispute Arising from Failed Shopping Mall

by George Christian | Jun 5, 2026

The Dallas Court of Appeals has reversed a trial court judgment in favor of a failed mall’s landlord in a lease dispute with one of the mall’s tenants. ATC Indoor DAS LLC v. MM CCM 48M Leasing, LLC and MM CCM 48M, LLC (No. 05-24-00769-CV; January 29, 2026) arose from...

Houston Court of Appeals [14th] Reverses TC Dismissal of Slip-and-Fall Case Under Rule 91a

by George Christian | Jun 4, 2026

Finding that the plaintiff sufficiently pleaded a premises liability claim arising from a slip-and-fall, the Houston [14th] Court of Appeals has reversed a trial court order dismissing the claim under Rule 91a. Cynthia Handley v. Spec’s Family Partners, Ltd. (No....

Dallas Court of Appeals Reverses TC Order Denying TAMU’s Motion to Dismiss Health Care Liability Brought by Football Player

by George Christian | Jun 3, 2026

The Dallas Court of Appeals has reversed and remanded a health care liability claim brought against Texas A&M-Commerce and the TAMU System stemming from a football injury. Texas A&M University-Commerce and Texas A&M University System v. Chandler Donaway...

SCOTX Reverses Default Judgment Against Landlords That Didn’t Receive Notice of Service of Process

by George Christian | Jun 2, 2026

The Texas Supreme has reversed a Dallas Court of Appeals decision affirming a default judgment against a residential landlord in a suit brought by a tenant. Huffman Asset Management, LLC and Prairie Capital, LLC v. Maurice Colter and Ni-Ida Colter (No. 24-0205; May...

Corpus Christi/Edinburg Court of Appeals Reverses TC Order Denying TxDOT’s Jurisdictional Plea in Wrongful Death Case

by George Christian | Jun 2, 2026

The Corpus Christi/Edinburg Court of Appeals has reversed a trial court order denying TxDOT’s plea to the jurisdiction in a case arising from a fatal accident involving a motorcycle on SH 361 in Nueces County. Texas Department of Transportation v. Tanya Simpson,...