ADA, Discrimination, Employment Law

Since City offered training for alternative employment position due to disability, City did not fail to make a reasonable accommodation says U.S. 5th Circuit.

Dillard v City of Austin, No. 15-50779 ( 5th Cir. September 16,2016) This is a disability discrimination case where the U.S. Fifth Circuit affirmed the granting of summary judgment for the City employer. After a car accident left Dillard with lingering injuries
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Constitutional Challenge, Employment Law, Retaliation, Sec. 1983

Ex-Police Chief’s suit against Mayor was not “matter of public concern” in relation to Chief’s suit against City under First Amendment

Gibson v. Kilpatrick,15-60583(5th Cir. September 20,2016) This is a First Amendment retaliation in employment case where the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit held the employee’s speech was not on a matter of public concern. This is a continuing litigation
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Constitutional Challenge, Land Use, Sovereign Immunity, Takings, Zoning

City immune from delay in zoning approval due to City Attorney’s mistaken understanding of municipal boundary line

City of Floresville, et al.  v. Starnes Investment Group, LLC, 04-16-00038 (Tex.App— San Antonio, September 28,2016) This is an interlocutory appeal from the denial of a plea to the jurisdiction in a case where a city employee mistakenly informed a property developer
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Constitutional Challenge, Declaratory Judgments, Injunction, Sign Regulation

Austin Court of Appeals holds parts of Texas Highway Beautification Act unconstitutional

  Auspro enterprises, LP v. Texas Department of Transportation,03-14-00375-CV (Tex. App— Austin , August 26,2016) In this case the Austin Court of Appeals held unconstitutional part of the Texas Highway Beautification Act (“Act”) in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last
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Constitutional Challenge, Contracts, Declaratory Judgments, Injunction, Official/Qualified Immunity, Public Works, Sovereign Immunity, TOMA, TTCA, Ultra Vires

City waived immunity in breach of contract case for solid waste disposal services

City of Rio Grande City, Texas, and Joel Villarreal, Herman R. Garza III, Arcadio J. Salinas III, Rey Ramirez, and Dave Jones in their Official Capacities v. BFI Waste Services of Texas, LP d/b/a Allied Waste Services of Rio Grande Valley,04-15-00729-CV (Tex.
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Constitutional Challenge, Litigation, Procedure, Public Works, Sovereign Immunity, Takings

Homeowners properly pled a taking by flooding due to channel reconstruction and temporary embankments says El Paso Court of Appeals

  CITY OF SOCORRO, Texas v.  SAMUEL CAMPOS, et al, 08-14-00295-CV (Tex.App— El Paso, September 14,2016) This is a takings/flooding case where the El Paso Court of Appeals held the Plaintiffs properly pled a takings case. The residents contend that the City
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Discrimination, Employment Law, Litigation

Ex-employee unable to establish direct evidence of age discrimination and failed to establish someone younger was hired instead

  Juan Bazaldua Jr. v. City of Lyford, Texas, 13-16-00004-CV (Tex.App— Corpus Christi, September 1, 2016) This is an age-discrimination case where the Thirteenth Court of Appeals affirmed the granting of the City’s plea to the jurisdiction. Bazaldua was a forty-nine-year-old laborer
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