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Dr Pepper Gets Win Ending $1B Distribution Rights Fight - When the relationship between Dr Pepper and Reyes — which dated back to the inking of an October 2017 exclusive licensing agreement — hit a snag, Dr Pepper filed a declaratory judgment action in Texas in April 2024, seeking a ruling it had a right to cancel the distribution deal, and two days later Reyes filed suit in California arguing Dr Pepper had breached the agreement. July 3, 2025
Complications for ‘Die Hard’ Star’s Flight That Netted $1M Award Mostly Upheld by Fourth Court of Appeals - An action movie star’s chartered flight landed aviation companies in a nearly decadelong dispute. The Fourth Court of Appeals almost fully agreed with a San Antonio company, BMH Air, affirming most of a $1 million award. July 3, 2025
DOJ, Boeing Respond to 737 Max Settlement Objections - The responses were filed July 2, after some families last month urged U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor to deny the motion to dismiss the government’s criminal fraud case against Boeing and appoint a special prosecutor to take over. The government sued Boeing in January 2021 in the wake of two plane crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. July 3, 2025
Merit Street Media Hires Sidley to Lead Bankruptcy - Only two years after launching its operations, Dr. Phil McGraw-backed Merit Street Media filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the Northern District of Texas. The Chapter 11 filing includes an adversarial complaint against Trinity Broadcasting. (File photo by Andy Kropa/Invision/AP) July 3, 2025Legislation Lowers Threshold Amount, Expands Jurisdiction of Business Court - In a few months, cases filed prior to Sept. 1, or before the business courts opened, can be transferred to the courts. Additionally, cases with $5 million in controversy can be filed in the business courts. Filings are expected to increase due to these changes. July 2, 2025
Latham, Hunton AK Advise Chipmaker Wolfspeed in Chapter 11 - In one of the largest corporate bankruptcies filed in 2025, North Carolina-based chipmaker Wolfspeed Inc. filed for Chapter 11 protection in the Southern District of Texas. July 1, 2025
Frisco Attorney Speaks Out Against Dallas Judge’s ‘Standing Recusal Order’ Against Her - A Dallas County district court judge has issued a standing order barring a Frisco attorney from handling cases in her courtroom — a move the judge said was necessary to ensure “the impartial and efficient administration of justice,” but the attorney says the order constitutes oppression. June 30, 2025
Centerpiece
Fifth Circuit’s SCOTUS Report Card: 3-8 This Term - Texas Lawbook research shows that, for the second year in a row, the judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit were among the most reversed jurists in the United States. July 1, 2025Litigation Roundup: SpaceX Gets Win at SCOTX - In this edition of Litigation Roundup, the Texas Supreme Court determined SpaceX will not have to face a new trial in an auto crash case and the U.S. Supreme Court upholds a Texas law requiring visitors to pornographic websites verify their age. July 1, 2025
Expert Voices
Is Your Commercial Property Insurance Ready for Hurricane Season? - As hurricane season kicks off, ensuring your company’s insurance coverage can withstand the storm is more important than ever. Commercial property insurance policies contain numerous potential coverage pitfalls that can significantly impact a corporate policyholder’s ability to recover for losses. These challenges often remain hidden until a loss occurs, at which point they can severely restrict or even eliminate coverage for otherwise valid claims. Understanding these common issues during the policy review process can help risk managers and legal counsel identify and address potential coverage gaps before they impact an organization. June 26, 2025
Legislature’s Expansion of the Business Court Proves Lone Star State’s Commitment to Commercial Justice - Nine months ago, skeptics questioned whether Texas’ ambitious new business court would survive infancy. The specialized tribunal, which began operations Sept. 1, 2024, faced early criticism over its narrow jurisdiction, steep amount in controversy requirements and procedural uncertainties — all of which threatened to limit the court’s effectiveness as a forum for many business disputes. The Texas Legislature has now resolved many of these doubts and doubled down on its judicial innovation. On June 1 — in the final hour of the final day of the legislative session — the Legislature passed House Bill 40 with significant support, considerably expanding the Texas Business Court’s jurisdiction. The law demonstrates Texas’ commitment to position itself as the premier destination for business litigation. June 24, 2025
Stories You Might’ve Missed
Report: Judge Gilstrap Again the King of Patent Litigation - Patent infringement litigation has mostly been on the decline across the U.S. for the past three years, but not in the Eastern District of Texas, which has re-established its courts as the preferred destination for disputes regarding patent infringement. A new report by legal analytics firm Lex Machina shows that U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap of Marshall was assigned 795 new patent lawsuits in 2024 — six times more than any other federal judge in the U.S. June 3, 2025
