Attorney Fees, Constitutional Challenge, Litigation, Official/Qualified Immunity, Procedure, Sec. 1983

14th Court of Appeals reverses jury award in excessive force case against County, but upholds portion against deputy

Harris County, et al, v Coats, et.al, 14-17-00732-CV, (Tex. App. — Houston [14th Dist.], February 6, 2020) This is a § 1983/wrongful death case where the 14th Court of Appeals reversed in part a jury award against the County and its deputy.
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Litigation, Procedure, Uncategorized

Texas Supreme Court holds a party sufficiently preserves an issue for review by arguing the issue’s substance, even if the party does not call the issue by name.

St. John Missionary Baptist  Church, et al, v Merle Flakes, et al, 18-0228, (Tex. Feb. 7, 2020). The Texas Supreme Court held in this case, which will be of interest to litigators and appellate practitioners, that the courts of appeals have authority
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Discrimination, Employment Law, Litigation, Procedure, Sovereign Immunity

Trial court’s denial of plea after evidentiary hearing was proper given the trial court decides disputed facts unrelated to merits of underlying claims

City of San Antonio v. Pedro J. Arciniega, 04-19-00467-CV, (Tex. App – San Antonio, Jan 15, 2020) This is an employment discrimination case where the San Antonio Court of Appeals affirmed the denial of the City’s plea to the jurisdiction. Arciniega sued
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Declaratory Judgments, Injunction, Litigation, Mandamus, Procedure, Sovereign Immunity, TOMA, Whistleblower

Texas Supreme Court holds no-evidence MSJ proper to challenge jurisdiction; TOMA waiver of immunity does not include declaratory judgment claims

Town of Shady Shores v Swanson, 18-0413 (Tex. Dec. 13, 2019) This is an employment case, but the focus on the opinion is a procedural one.  Importantly, the Texas Supreme Court held 1) a no-evidence motion for summary judgment was proper to
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Discrimination, Employment Law, Litigation, Procedure, Retaliation

Former Employee Failed to Brief and ID Records Establishing Causation or Pretext in Employment Case

Orlando Toldson v. Denton Independent School District, 02-18-00394-CV (Tex. App. – Fort Worth, Nov. 21, 2019) This is a sexual harassment/retaliation claim where the Fort Worth Court of Appeals affirmed the employer’s motion for summary judgment. Toldson worked for Denton Independent School
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Constitutional Challenge, Declaratory Judgments, Discrimination, Employment Law, Injunction, Litigation, Procedure, Retaliation, Sovereign Immunity

Firefighter’s claims against City dismissed since no adverse employment actions occurred; only minor internal decisions

Billy Fratus v. The City of Beaumont, 09-18-00294-CV (Tex. App. – Beaumont, Oct. 10, 2019). This is an employment discrimination/retaliation/firefighter case where the Beaumont Court of Appeals affirmed the granting of the City’s plea to the jurisdiction. Fratus was a firefighter who
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Constitutional Challenge, Litigation, Procedure, Sovereign Immunity, Takings

12th Court of Appeals holds a regulatory civil enforcement suit did not constitute a taking by a conservation district

Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District v. Mountain Pure TX, LLC  12-19-00172-CV (Tex. App. – Tyler, September 18, 2019). This is a regulatory takings/compliance enforcement case where the Tyler Court of Appeals reversed the denial of a conservation district’s plea to
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Injunction, Litigation, Procedure, Sovereign Immunity

Since interlocutory appeal by individual officials stayed proceedings, trial court had no authority to grant or deny City’s plea to the jurisdiction

City of Brownsville, et al.,  v. Brownsville GMS, 13-19-00467-CV (Tex.App. – Corpus Christi, September 27, 2019). This is a governmental immunity/contract case where a temporary injunction was sought.  The Corpus Christi court out of Edinburg held the trial court’s failure to rule
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