ADA, Discrimination, Employment Law, Litigation, Procedure, Sovereign Immunity

A defendant attempting to obtain dismissal for lack of evidence must use a no-evidence motion for summary judgment, not a no-evidence plea to the jurisdiction.

A defendant attempting to obtain dismissal for lack of evidence must use a no-evidence motion for summary judgment, not a no-evidence plea to the jurisdiction. Special contributing author Laura Mueller, City Attorney for Dripping Springs Edinburg Consol. Ind. Sch. Dist. V. Ayala,
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Litigation, Mandamus

13th Court of Appeals grants mandamus relief to TxDOT – allowed TxDOT to withhold from discovery skid mark and other highway safety statistics

In re Texas Department of Transportation, 13-21-00214-CV  (Tex. App. – Corpus Christi, Dec. 9, 2021) In this mandamus action, the 13th Court of Appeals conditionally granted the writ, noting federal law made certain information regarding highway safety data privileged and exempt from
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Board of Adjustment, Constitutional Challenge, Declaratory Judgments, Injunction, Litigation, Sovereign Immunity, Takings, Vested Rigths, Zoning

Fort Worth Court of Appeals holds Plaintiffs properly plead constitutional challenges to City’s short-term rental ordinance

  City of Grapevine v. Ludmilla B. Muns, et al, 02-19-00257-CV (Tex. App. – Fort Worth, Dec. 23, 2021) This is an opinion on rehearing where the Fort Worth Court of Appeals reversed in part and affirmed in part the trial court’s
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Declaratory Judgments, Eminent Domain, Litigation, Procedure, Sovereign Immunity, Takings

Fort Worth Court of Appeals holds one city was not entitled to a plea to the jurisdiction in condemnation suit brought by adjoining city

Town of Westlake, Texas v. City of Southlake, 02-21-00241-CV  (Tex. App. – Fort Worth, Dec. 23, 2021) This is an interlocutory appeal from the denial of the Town of Westlake’s plea to the jurisdiction in a case where the City of Southlake
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Declaratory Judgments, Health and Safety, Injunction, Land Use, Litigation, Procedure, Sovereign Immunity, Structural Standards, Takings, Zoning

Texarkana holds city properly supported its summary judgment to permanently enjoin mobile home park

Polecat Hill, LLC, et al. v. City of Longview, Texas, et al. 06-20-00062-CV (Tex. App. – Texarkana, December 2, 2021). This is a nuisance/permit case brought under Chapter 54 of the Texas Local Government Code where the Texarkana Court of Appeals affirmed
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Litigation, Sovereign Immunity, TTCA

Dallas Court of Appeals holds detour did not take excavation outside the normal use of the roadway, therefore plaintiff properly alleged a special defect

City of Irving, Texas v. Edwin Muniz, 05-21-00099-CV, (Tex. App – Dallas, Nov. 19, 2021) This is a premise defect/Texas Tort Claims Act (“TTCA”) case where the Dallas Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of the City’s plea to the jurisdiction. During
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Attorney Fees, Civil Service/Collective Bargaining, Declaratory Judgments, Employment Law, Injunction, Litigation, Procedure, Ultra Vires

Amarillo Court of Appeals holds fire marshal’s office employs firefighters who are entitled to civil service protection

City of Amarillo, Texas, et al. v. Nathan Sloan Nurek and Michael Brandon Stennett, 07-20-00315-CV, (Tex. App – Amarillo, Nov. 18, 2021) This is a civil service case where the Amarillo Court of Appeals affirmed in part and reversed in part a
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Agency, Declaratory Judgments, Health and Safety, Injunction, Litigation, Sovereign Immunity, Ultra Vires

Fourth Court of Appeals upholds injunction preventing Governor from prohibiting ordinances regulating face masks – Governor’s authority does not extent to local health and safety regulations with separate grants of authority

Greg Abbott, in his Official Capacity as Governor of Texas, and State of Texas v. City of San Antonio and County of Bexar, 04-21-00342-CV (Tex. App. – San Antonino, November 10, 2021). This is a COVID-19 declaratory judgment (ultra vires) action brought
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