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Houston [14th] Court of Appeals Reverses $750,000 Attorney’s Fee Award in Misappropriation of Trade Secrets Case
The Houston [14th] Court of Appeals has reversed a $750,000 attorney’s fee award to a defendant in a trade secrets misappropriation case who alleged that plaintiff filed the suit in bad faith. Teligistics, Inc. v. Advanced Personal Computing, Inc. d/b/a Liquid...
Fort Worth Court of Appeals Affirms TC Order Denying Motion to Compel Arbitration Against Certain Nonsignatories to an Arbitration Agreement
The Fort Worth Court of Appeals has delivered a prodigiously well-researched opinion on the law of enforcing arbitration agreements against nonsignatory agents of a corporate defendant. Maireni Peguero; Brad Young; and Dyno Petro v. Jerry Freishtat and Justin...
Business Court Rules It Has Jurisdiction Over Remaining Claims After Plaintiffs Nonsuited Four of Five Defendants
Delfino Ornelas, III, Individually; Delfino Ornelas, III, Derivatively on Behalf of I Am Trucking, LLC; Delfino Ornelas, III Derivatively on Behalf of Veracity Oilfield Services, LLC v. Erasmo Herrera (No. 25-BC04B-0001; 2025 Tex. Bus. 51; December 18, 2025) arose...
Waco Court of Appeals Reverses TC Denial of Out-of-State PAC’s TCPA Motion to Dismiss House Member’s Lawsuit
The Waco Court of Appeals has reversed a trial court denial of an out-of-state political action committee’s TCPA motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a member of the Texas House of Representatives. Courageous Conservatives PAC v. Hon. Pat Curry, State...
Houston [14th] Court of Appeals Grants Mandamus in Exclusive-Remedy Case
The Houston [14th] Court of Appeals has granted mandamus relief to the statutory employer of an injured employee of a subcontractor. In re ExxonMobil Corp. (No. 14-25-00446-CV; December 18, 2025) arose from injuries sustained by an employee of subcontractor Brown...
15th Court of Appeals Overturns TC Order Reversing TCEQ Issuance of Wastewater Permit to Developers
The 15th Court of Appeals has reversed a Travis County district court ruling that substantial evidence did not support a TCEQ order granting a wastewater permit to residential property developers in Williamson County. AIRW 2017-L.P.; 600 Westinghouse Investments,...
Business Court Enforces Mutual Waiver Agreement Between Operators of Adjacent Leases
In a third opinion by Judge Bullard arising from the same dispute, the Business Court has granted in part and denied in part an defendant operator’s motion for summary judgment on plaintiff operator’s damages claim. Slant Operating LLC and Slant WTX Holdings, II,...
Business Court Enforces Mutual Waiver Agreement Between Operators of Adjacent Leases
In a opinion by Judge Bullard arising from the same dispute, the Business Court has granted an operator’s motion for summary judgment on its breach-of-contract claim against another operator who allegedly breached a mutual waiver agreement. Slant Operating LLC and...
SCOTX Reverses Appraisal Award Based on Evident Partiality Rule
The Texas Supreme Court ha reversed a trial court order confirming an appraisal award where a neutral appraiser failed to disclose prior to his appointment that one of the parties would tip him for the appointment. Kevin Burke, et al. v. Houston PT BAC Office...
Business Court Rejects Oil and Gas Leasholder’s Attempt to Claim Third-Party Beneficiary Status under Waiver Agreement Between Operators
In an opinion by Judge Bullard, the Business Court has granted a defendant operator’s plea to the jurisdiction on the basis that Plaintiff leaseholder was not a third-party beneficiary of an agreement between operators to waive objections to each other’s off-lease...
Business Court Applies Anti-Fracturing Rule to Dismiss Legal Malpractice, Fraud, and Other Claims Added to Case After Removal
The Business Court has dismissed for lack of jurisdiction a legal malpractice claim, as well as numerous fraud and breach of fiduciary duty claims under the anti-fracturing rule, that Plaintiff added to the case after removal from district court. Michael D. Crain,...
Dallas Court of Appeals Affirms Take-Nothing Judgment for Defendants in Wrongful Death Case
The Dallas Court of Appeals has upheld a trial court’s take-nothing judgment in a workplace fatality case in which the jury found that the decedent was 51% responsible for his injury. Maria de los Angeles Rodriguez, Individually and as the Administrator of the...