Declaratory Judgments, Injunction, Mandamus, PIA, Ultra Vires

City did not act in bad faith under PIA in cost estimate calculation; City established it produced all records discovered

Mark Rines v. City of Carrollton 05-15-01321-CV (Tex. App—Dallas, February 13, 2018) This is a Texas Public Information Act (“PIA”) case where the Dallas Court of Appeals affirmed the trial courts order dismissing the Requestor’s lawsuit. [Comment: this case is a rare
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Constitutional Challenge, Litigation, Official/Qualified Immunity, Sec. 1983

U.S. 5th Circuit remands excessive force case holding fact question exists as to whether suspect who died during arrest was resisting or not

Darden v. City of Fort Worth, 16-11244, — F3d. –, 2018 WL 525640 (5th Circ. January 24, 2018) This is a §1983/excessive force/ wrongful death case where the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a trial court order granting the officers’
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Agency, Contracts, Declaratory Judgments, Finance, Preemption, Public Works

Home-rule city’s franchise contract and right-of-way ordinance trumps pro-forma provision in a tariff, so utility must bear costs of relocation

City of Richardson v Oncor Electric Delivery Company, LLC, 15-1008 (Tex. February 2, 2018) This case involves a dispute between a city and a utility over who must pay relocation costs to accommodate changes to public rights-of-way. The City of Richardson (“City”)
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Sovereign Immunity, TTCA

Failure to drive school bus to hospital instead of waiting for ambulance to assists non-responsive child is a non-use of property, which does not waive immunity says Beaumont Court of Appeals.

Nathan Delameter et. al, v. Beaumont Independent School District (Tex. App — Beaumont, February 1, 2017) This is a wrongful death/Texas Tort Claims Act case where the Beaumont Court of Appeals affirmed the granting of the school district’s plea to the jurisdiction.
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Employment Law, Whistleblower

Supervisor’s directive that employee “snitch” on anything going wrong is not “criminal activity” under the Texas Whistleblower Act

Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas v. Ronald Williams 01-17-00724-CV (Tex. App—Houston, January 25, 2018) This is a Texas Whistleblower Act suit where the First District Court of Appeals in Houston reversed the denial of the employer’s plea to the jurisdiction
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Constitutional Challenge, Declaratory Judgments, Land Use, Tax

Water District property entitled to tax exempt status even though District rents to private business on river front

Tarrant Appraisal District v. Tarrant Regional Water District 02-17-00042-CV (Tex. App— Fort Worth, January 25, 2018) The Tarrant Appraisal District (“TAD”) asserted part of the property owned by the Tarrant Regional Water District (“TRWD”) was not “used for public purposes” and therefore
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Employment Law, Whistleblower

Dallas Court of Appeals holds ex-police officer failed to establish his termination was in retaliation for whistleblower report of “pronoun confusion” in PD assault report

Michael Hackbarth v. University of Texas at Dallas  05-16-01250-CV (Tex. App— Dallas, January 4, 2018) This is a Texas Whistleblower Act case where the Dallas Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court’s granting of the University’s motion for summary judgment. Hackbarth was
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