Constitutional Challenge, Declaratory Judgments, Litigation, Mandamus, Procedure, Sec. 1983, Separation of Powers, Sovereign Immunity, Tax, Ultra Vires

El Paso Court of Appeals holds non-appearance jurors failed to show waiver of immunity in contempt/fee challenge case but should be allowed to amend.

Joshua Luttrell, et al v. El Paso County, et al., 08-16-00090-CV (Tex. App. – El Paso, December 20, 2017). There is no way to categorize this case in a single sentence. In the thirty-nine page opinion, the El Paso Court of Appeals
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Constitutional Challenge, Eminent Domain, Sovereign Immunity, Structural Standards, TTCA

Trial court properly dismissed subsequent purchaser’s TTCA and Takings claims after City demolished house

Jorge Rodriguez v. City of Fort Worth, 07-16-00037-CV (Tex.App. – Amarillo, December 8, 2017) This is a takings/condemnation and TTCA case where the Fort Worth Court of Appeals affirmed the granting of the City’s plea to the jurisdiction. Prior to Rodriguez’s ownership
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Constitutional Challenge, Official/Qualified Immunity, Search and Seizure, Sec. 1983

U.S. 5th Circuit holds fact question exists on qualified immunity between whether officer stepped in front of car to prevent escape, or was already in front of car and shot to defend himself

  Vann v. City of Southaven, 16-60561 (5th Cir. November 22, 2017). The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reversed the granting of summary judgment for the City and its officer in this police shooting and death case. Vann drove
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Constitutional Challenge, Litigation, Sec. 1983

U.S. 5th Circuit holds disabled individual did not request accommodation from officers performing field sobriety test so cannot sue for disability discrimination

Windham v. Harris County 16-20686 (5th Cir. November 13, 2017) This is a §1983 suit where the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the granting of the County and Deputy Sheriff’s summary judgment motion. Windham was arrested on suspicion of driving
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Constitutional Challenge, Declaratory Judgments, Eminent Domain, Injunction, Litigation, Procedure, Sovereign Immunity, Takings

Texas Supreme Court rules court of appeals has interlocutory jurisdiction for denied MSJ even though plea was denied months earlier

City of Magnolia 4A Economic Development Corporation and City of Magnolia 4B Community Development Corporation v. David Smedley, 16-0718 (Tex. October 27, 2017). This is a flooding case, however, the issue for the Supreme Court is a litigation procedural one. The Court
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Constitutional Challenge, Declaratory Judgments, Injunction, Litigation, Procedure, Sovereign Immunity, Ultra Vires

Texarkana Court of Appeals holds the vote and decision not to vote on District business cannot be an ultra vires claim

Kilgore Independent School District, et al. v. Darlene Axberg, John Claude Axberg, Sheila Anderson, and the State of Texas 06-17-00060-CV (Tex.App— Texarkana, October 12, 2017) This is an appeal from the denial of a plea to the jurisdiction where property owners brought
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Constitutional Challenge, Declaratory Judgments, Injunction, Litigation, Procedure, Ultra Vires

Inmate’s ultra vires suit against DA, courts, and county dismissed due to claim for retrospective relief

Smith v. District Attorney’s Office for Smith County, et al.  03-16-00828-CV (Tex. App. – Austin, August 23, 2017) This is an inmate declaratory judgment case relating to the inmate’s conviction in which the Austin Court of Appeals affirmed the dismissal of the
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