Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury
A two-week jury trial concluded Thursday with a $604 million verdict against a Dallas-based trucking company, the driver and a freight brokerage company in a wrongful death case stemming from a multi-vehicle accident that killed three people.
In this edition of Asked & Answered, Yetter Coleman partner Tim McConn talks about the first time he took the lead on a case and the most memorable case in his career so far. He also discusses trends he is seeing in his oil and gas practice and using AI.
After a three-week bench trial in Bexar County, Judge Laura Salinas hit CPS Energy with a $393 million final judgment in favor of Energy Transfer against CPS Energy in a contract dispute stemming from gas rates during 2021 Winter Storm Uri.
Haynes Boone attorneys from across the country came to Dallas in late May to participate in the firm’s second annual Trial Academy. The training gives younger attorneys an opportunity to try a mock case and get immediate feedback from experienced partners.
For a quarter of a century, Karen Mitchell has served as the Northern District of Texas clerk of court, making her the longest-serving clerk of court in the country. The last 25 years have been filled with life-changing events in history, but former judges who know her said one thing has remained constant: her positive attitude.
Treasure recovered off the coast of the Bahamas is being fought over in a legal tug-of-war, with the plaintiffs asking Chief U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor to award $2.5 million in treasure it claims it is owed and punitive damages that would bring the total damages award to $8.5 million. The parties concluded the two-week-long bench trial Thursday afternoon, turning the case over to the court to decide.
In this edition of Asked & Answered, Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann’s Mary Goodrich Nix looks back on her early years as a trial lawyer. She also shares advice she would give to young lawyers and discusses trends she sees impacting the practice.
Texas Instruments turned to the Texas Business Court last month to sue a former employee and his new employer, GlobalFoundries, for allegedly stealing trade secrets. The Texas Lawbook was in Fort Worth Monday morning for the temporary injunction hearing, but the courtroom was sealed shortly after Vartabedian Katz Hester & Haynes partner Marc Katz began his opening statements for Texas Instruments.
In a case where three Jane Does alleged Dallas developer Bill Hutchinson sexually assaulted them, a jury agreed with two of the women Thursday night after 11 hours of deliberation. The two women who prevailed alleged that Hutchinson raped them. The third plaintiff alleged Hutchinson groped her, a claim the jury rejected.
The jury awarded the prevailing women a combined $860,000 in damages, but the plaintiffs were seeking an award of $79.8 million.
Chief U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor heard opening statements from counsel Monday morning in Fort Worth on whether Maritime Research & Recovery should keep the treasure it recovered from a ship that sank off the coast of the Bahamas and if Allen Exploration committed defamation.
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