Newsroom
15th Court of Appeals Mandamuses Collin County Trial Court That Ordered Production of Patients’ Medical Records Before Dallas County Trial Court Ruled on Motions for Protection
The 15th Court of Appeals has conditionally granted mandamus petitions filed by 22 nonparty patients whose medical records have been subpoenaed by the state in an SB 14 lawsuit against two physicians. In re Nonparty Patient No. 1, et al. (No. 15-25-00031(2)-CV;...
Eastland Court of Appeals Denies Oil and Gas Operator Mandamus to Lift Abatement of Dec Action Against Insurer in Third-Party Liability Case
In a third-party liability case involving an oil and gas operator, an oilfield services company, and the services company’s liability insurer, the Eastland Court of Appeals has denied the operator’s petition for writ of mandamus seeking to lift a trial court order...
Business Court Rules Natural Gas Seller That Declared Force Majeure During Winter Storm Uri Was Not Obligated to Purchase Gas on the Spot-Market
In a case arising from natural gas production interruptions caused by Winter Storm Uri, the Business Court [11TH Division] has ruled that a natural-gas purchase and sale agreement did not require the Seller to purchase gas on the spot market to meet its delivery...
Houston [14th] Court of Appeals Mandamuses Trial Court for Issuing TRO Without Jurisdiction
The Houston [14th] Court of Appeals has granted Texas Central Railroad’s petition for writ of mandamus to compel a Harris County district court to vacate an ex parte TRO in a class action lawsuit brought by “unsuspecting tenants” on the railroad’s property. In re...
Eastland Court of Appeals Reverses Judgment for Landowner Who Buried Producer’s Flowlines
The Eastland Court of Appeals has reversed a trial court judgment awarding damages to a surface estate owner who took it upon himself to bury a producer’s flow lines when the producer did not fully comply with a lease provision permitting the lessor to request...
Houston [14th] Court of Appeals Rejects Port Freeport’s Condemnation Petition for Failing to Specify Public Use
The Houston [14th] Court of Appeals has reversed a trial court order granting summary judgment to Port Freeport on the basis that its condemnation petition failed to state public use with the statutorily required specificity. Henry Jones, et al. v. Port Freeport...
15th Court of Appeals Throws Out Taxpayer Lawsuit Against Comptroller Contesting Constitutionality of Tax Lien Statute
The 15th Court of Appeals has rejected a constitutional challenge to the statute authorizing the Comptroller to record a tax lien against a delinquent state taxpayer’s nonexempt real and personal property. Vinh Huu Cao & Mai Hong Luu v. Kelly Hancock, In His...
Houston [14th] Court of Appeals Reverses TC Order Granting Summary Judgment to Parties That Didn’t Request It
The Houston [14th] Court of Appeals has reversed and remanded an atypical breach of contract case in which the trial court granted summary judgment in favor of parties that didn’t request it. Insurors Indemnity Company v. Quality Works Construction, Inc., Misheck...
San Antonio [Fourth Division] Business Court Finds No Jurisdiction in Case Removed from Probate Court
The San Antonio [Fourth Division] Business Court has ruled that it does not have jurisdiction over a case removed from a probate court because Plaintiff didn’t agree to the removal. Charlotte Rogers Barrett v. Marcus T. Barrett, IV, et al. (No. 25-BC04A-0013; 2025...
MDL Panel Considering Transfer Petition for LNG Terminal Construction Accident
Defendants in a multi-party action arising from a construction accident at a Port Arthur LNG terminal have petitioned the multi-district litigation panel to transfer to an MDL pre-trial court a number of personal injury actions filed in Harris and Jefferson...
Houston [14th] Court of Appeals Rules That Foreign Judgment Creditors May Domesticate a New York Judgment in Texas and Seek Dismissal of Similar Texas Suit on Res Judicata Grounds
The Houston [14th] Court of Appeals has affirmed that filing motion to dismiss on res judicata grounds in a Texas lawsuit does not bar foreign judgment creditors from domesticating a New York judgment in Texas under the Uniform Enforcement of Foreign Judgments Act...
Houston [14th] Court of Appeals Reverses $1.5 Million Punitive Damages Award in Questionable Fraud Lawsuit Over Nonsubscriber Policy
The Houston [14th] Court of Appeals has reversed a $1.5 million punitive damages judgment against a trucking company that procured a nonsubscriber policy for an independent contractor truck driver who knew that he wasn’t covered by the policy in the first place....