Newsroom
15th Court of Appeals Sides with Airline in Dispute With Comptroller Over Application of Franchise Tax to Transportation Revenues
In a case of first impression, the 15th Court of Appeals has held that the federal Anti-Head Tax Act preempts the application of the Texas franchise tax to revenues from an airline’s baggage fees, passenger ticket sales, and freight transportation apportioned to...
SCOTX Mandamuses Trial Court That Granted New Trial to Plaintiff After 11-1 Defense Verdict
The Texas Supreme Court has granted a physician’s petition for writ of mandamus to compel a trial court to vacate its order granting a new trial where the jury returned an 11-1 defense verdict. In re Leo Lapuerta, M.D., F.A.C.S., and The Plastic Surgery Institute...
Austin Court of Appeals Enforces Arbitration Provision, Following TotalEnergies
The Austin Court of Appeals has reversed a trial court judgment on the basis that the parties’ agreement contained an arbitration clause that, by adopting AAA commercial rules, delegated arbitrability to the arbitrator. AutoLotto, Inc. v. Paychex, Inc. (No....
SCOTX Sides With Telecomm Provider in Dispute with San Antonio Electric Utility
The Texas Supreme Court has reversed a Corpus Christi Court of Appeals decision holding that 2005 changes to the Public Utility Regulatory Act did not apply to a 1984 agreement between a telecomm provider and San Antonio’s electric utility governing pole-attachment...
15th Court of Appeals Sides With State in Dispute Over Proceeds of $212.3 Million Medicaid Fraud Settlement
Reversing the trial court, the 15th Court of Appeals has held that the public disclosure exception to the Medicaid fraud statute applied to the claims of three qui tam relators for a share of $212.3 million settlement. State of Texas v. Alexandra Alvarez, Joshua...
Justice Young Invites Litigants to Bring TUFTA Cases to SCOTX
In a statement in connection with SCOTX’s denial of rehearing of a petition for review, Justice Evan Young has invited litigants with disputes implicating the Texas Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act to bring cases to SCOTX for review. The case at hand, Executive...
SCOTX Reverses San Antonio Court of Appeals Decision Favoring Royalty Owner in Dispute With Operator
In a case that attracted a lot of interest from producers and royalty owners, the Texas Supreme Court has reversed a San Antonio Court of Appeals decision holding that an oil and gas deed that reserved a royalty on minerals “produced from the above described...
Houston Court of Appeals [1st] Reverses TC Order Denying Physician’s Motion to Dismiss Chapter 74 HCLC Where Intervenors Failed to Serve Expert Report
The Houston [1st] Court of Appeals has reversed a trial court order denying a physician’s motion to dismiss claims that he changed a liver transplant list to exclude claimants’ relatives, all of whom later died, for failure to serve an expert report. John S. Bynon...
SCOTX Reverses Corpus Christi Court of Appeals Ruling in Slip-and-Fall Case
The Texas Supreme Court has reversed a Corpus Christi Court of Appeals decision overturning a Bexar County trial court’s grant of summary judgment in favor of HEB in a slip-and-fall case. Marissa Peterson v. HEB Grocery Co., L.P. (No. 24-0310; April 10, 2026) arose...
Dallas Mavericks Defeat Dallas Stars in Business Court Thriller
The Dallas Mavericks have prevailed over the Dallas Stars in a dispute over control of the American Airlines Center. Dallas Sports Group, LLC and Radical Arena, Ltd. v. DSE Hockey Club, L.P., et al. L.P. (2026 Tex. Bus. 15; April 2, 2026) arose from a dispute...
Tyler Court of Appeals Upholds Denial of Chinese Tire Manufacturer’s Special Appearance in Product Liability Case
The Tyler Court of Appeals has affirmed a Gregg County district court’s denial of a Chinese tire manufacturer’s special appearance in a product liability action arising from a fatality rollover accident. Sailun Group Co., Ltd. v. Jessica Spradley, et al. (No....
San Antonio Court of Appeals Rejects Tort Claims Act Suit by Survivors of Uvalde School Shooting
Affirming a Uvalde County trial court, the San Antonio Court of Appeals has held that survivors of the Robb Elementary shooting in Uvalde could not allege jurisdictional facts to establish a waiver of sovereign immunity under the Texas Tort Claims Act. Barrera, et...