A bankruptcy petition filed by the National Rifle Association in January was dismissed Tuesday afternoon by a federal bankruptcy judge who declared the controversial petition as having been filed in bad faith.
NDTX Judge to Rule on Motion to Dismiss NRA Bankruptcy
A North Texas bankruptcy judge is set to determine — as early as today — whether a solvent National Rifle Association will be allowed to proceed with its request for bankruptcy protection in Texas. The petition has been challenged as a bad faith filing designed by the NRA to wrest itself from accountability in New York, where the organization was created in 1871. The Lawbook has the details.
SCOTX Preserves 30-Year-Old Trade Secrets Rule
In a case closely observed by First Amendment advocates, the Texas Supreme Court ruled Friday that a trial court erred when it agreed to seal from public scrutiny exhibits that had been subject to trade secret protections but were revealed in open court.
State Bar of Texas Disciplinary Actions: 15 Lawyers Named
There were 15 lawyers named in this month’s roundup of disciplinary actions by the State Bar of Texas: one disbarment, two resignations, 10 suspensions and two public reprimands. Six of the lawyers suspended were from Greater Houston and two from Dallas
Top 50 Q1 M&A Deals with Texas HQ (2021)
These are the top non-confidential M&A deals for the first quarter of 2021 as provided by Mergermarket.
SCOTX Rules Against River Authority in Hurricane Harvey Flooding Case
Property owners near Houston, whose homes were flood by waters released from a reservoir during Hurricane Harvey, won a major victory at the Texas Supreme Court on Friday when the court ruled that the agency that controls the dam has no governmental immunity from lawsuits. The Lawbook explains.
Seven Charged by SEC and Justice Department in Energy Company Fraud
A convicted stock swindler from Texas, a defrocked stockbroker from Miami, a Dallas real estate lawyer and a former burglar were among those cited in a criminal complaint filed Wednesday in the Eastern District of New York. The fraud and stock manipulation charges involved a “pump and dump” scheme that revolved around Dallas-based Zona Energy and leaseholds on a West Texas ranch. Texas Lawbook has the details.
Overhaul of Appeals Courts Moves to Texas Senate
The Senate Committee on Jurisprudence pushed forward a closely-held plan by Republicans to remodel the state’s appellate courts. The party-line vote on Thursday came with an abundance of criticism for the plan’s perceived lack of transparency and its potential for obliterating minority gains in the state’s highest courts.
SCOTX Hears Case Against Business Lawyer Immunity
In oral arguments at SCOTX this week, a case involving the sale of a foot ware company evolved into a fight over attorney immunity. The question is whether transactional lawyers should have the same protection as litigators against lawsuits brought by non-clients. A consortium of 51 firms in Texas had asked the court to hear the case.
CDT Roundup: 24 Deals; 10 Firms, 196 Lawyers, $13.6B
Last December we reported on a $2 billion-plus merger agreement between Diamondback Energy and QEP Resources. The all-stock deal seemed like a good deal for both sides, since it included Diamondback’s assumption of $1.6 billion. But a major stockholder at QEP is having second thoughts, and their thinking is yet another sign that things are getting better. The CDT Roundup has the details of their concerns, as well as details of all 24 transactions.