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Business Court [Eighth Division] Determines It Has Jurisdiction in Dispute Between Oil and Gas Producers
In an opinion that interprets the statutory definition of “qualified transaction” in the context of an agreement between oil and gas operators, the Fort Worth-based Eighth Division of the business court determined that the agreement met the statutory requirements...
Austin Court of Appeals Affirms Significant DTPA Judgment Against Sham Entity and Its Owner
In a case that demonstrates that the DTPA is still alive and kicking, the Austin Court of Appeals has affirmed a trial court judgment against an individual and his sham entity for posing as a commercial construction company and taking a business’s money without...
Houston [1st] Court of Appeals Lets Plaintiff Whose Counsel Neglected to Respond to Rule 91a Motion Off the Hook, Revives Dismissed Lawsuit Against Hermann Hospital
In a case that leaves us scratching our heads a bit, the Houston [1st] Court of Appeals has given a plaintiff a second chance in an employment discrimination suit after her lawyer somehow didn’t notice a Rule 91a motion had been filed in the client’s case. Jennifer...
Houston [14th] Court of Appeals Dismisses Contract, Tort Claims on Jurisdictional and TCPA Grounds
The Houston [14th] Court of Appeals has dismissed breach of contract and tortious interference claims against a corporate shareholder for breach of contract and tortious interference on TCPA grounds. It further dismissed the entity’s lawsuit against the...
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Announces Legislation for the First Called Special Session of the 89th Legislature
July 22, 2025 AUSTIN – Today, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced the following legislation for the First Called Special Session of the 89th Legislature: SB 1 – Natural Disaster Preparation and Recovery, by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock SB 2 – Flood Emergency...
Dallas Court of Appeals Affirms Defense Summary Judgment in Slip-and-Fall at DFW Airport
In a case transferred from the Fort Worth Court of Appeals, the Dallas Court of Appeals has affirmed a trial court order granting an airline’s motion for summary judgment in a suit brought by a passenger who fell while riding an escalator in the airport. Charles...
Austin Business Court Rules That It Has Jurisdiction in Civil Lawsuit Stemming from Texas Lottery Scandal
In a case arising from an alleged scheme to rig the April 2023 Texas Lottery (which created quite a stir in the Legislature this session and resulted in the abolition of the Lottery Commission and transfer of its duties to TDLR), the Austin (Third) division of the...
Dallas Court of Appeals Affirms Trial Court Order Determining That New York Law Applies to Property Damage Claim, Eliminating Extracontractual Causes of Action and Attorney’s Fees
In a decision that substantially reduced a plaintiff’s damages claim, the Dallas Court of Appeals has affirmed a trial court order applying New York law to an Illinois insured’s property damage claim stemming from a 2019 tornado. Transform HoldCo LLC v. Starr...
Dallas Business Court Tosses Minority Owners’ Challenge to Majority Owner’s Exercise of Drag-Along Sale Rights
In a massive three-part opinion, the Dallas Business Court [First Division] has ruled that a majority owner’s exercise of drag-along sale rights conferred under the partnership agreement met both the requirements of the contract and the minimum statutory...
Fort Worth Court of Appeals Affirms Temporary Injunction for Breach of Non-Compete Agreement
In an instructive opinion on the contours of Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 683, which governs temporary injunctions, the Fort Worth Court of Appeals has upheld a trial court’s grant of a temporary injunction to stop former employees of a real estate investment...
SCOTX Responds to Certified Question in Religious Freedom Case
In a case we first reported last September, the Texas Supreme Court has answered a certified question from the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals calling for an interpretation of Article I, § 6-a, Texas Constitution, the “religious-service-protections” clause....
Houston [1st] Court of Appeals Mandamuses Trial Court for Setting Aside Default Judgment
The Houston [1st] Court of Appeals has vacated a trial court order setting aside a default judgment where the party against whom the judgment was taken simply didn’t follow the rules. In re Dannie Smith (No. 01-24-01004-CV; May 20, 2025) arose from a 2024 lawsuit...