Bankruptcy Report: Expect More of Them
Lower for longer remains the watchword for producers and their creditors, according to Haynes and Boone's periodic energy bankruptcy reports. Here's what's happened so far this year.
CDT Roundup: 8 Deals, 7 Firms, 48 Lawyers, $7.34B
In weeks when good news looks good by simply not being apocalyptic — slower coronavirus death rates, modest reopening of public spaces, oil prices above zero — you're just going to have to lower your standards. Keep that in mind when you're hunting for good news in this week's CDT Roundup.
State Bar Discipline: 3 Disbarments, 8 Suspensions, 2 Public Reprimands
An Austin lawyer stole a client's 401(K) funds. A lawyer from Tyler bounced checks from his IOLTA settlement account. A Waxahachie lawyer failed to fully account for funds from a family's estate. In all, 13 lawyers were disciplined. Here are the details.
Judge Dismisses Mandatory Dues Case Against State Bar
U.S. Judge Lee Yeakel has rejected a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of mandatory bar dues charged by the State Bar of Texas. The Austin jurist ruled that the mandatory dues and the activities they pay for are well within the official responsibilities authorized by the Texas Legislature and do not violate the First Amendment. Allen Pusey has the details.
Exec in Two Healthcare Fraud Cases Sentenced to 76 Months in Prison
Semyon Narasov, 55, pleaded guilty in 2018 to conspiracy to commit money laundering at NextHealth and conspiracy to pay and receive bribes and kickbacks while at Forest Park Medical Center.
CDT Roundup: 2 Weeks, 10 Deals, 8 Firms, 68 Lawyers, $742.4M
Word this week that a $5.5 billion bank merger was scrubbed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic may only be the beginning of the bad news from the Corporate Deal Tracker. 'Buckle up' is the lesson gleaned from this week's belated report. Be sure to see a note about that and the absence — for the moment — of our friend and colleague, Claire Poole.
SCOTX Rules Against The Episcopal Church in $100M Property Dispute
The 8-0 decision Friday by the Texas Supreme Court allows congregants who seceded from The Episcopal Church in 2006 to take church property with them. The Lawbook has the details.
Justice Lehrmann, Husband Test Positive for Covid-19
Texas Supreme Court Justice Debra Lehrmann has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the first state official known to be infected with the novel coronavirus. Justice Lehrmann confirmed the diagnosis in an interview with The Dallas Morning News.
First Virtual Trial: No Dogs, No Kids, No Jury Strikes
From the beginning the whole process took only a smidge over 94 minutes. But jury selection in the first actual (sort of) virtual trial was as smooth and efficient as 30 faces from 30 different places mashed onto a screen can be. The Lawbook watched and was impressed.
Texas Court Administration Hacked in Ransomware Attack
UPDATED: The Texas Office of Court Administration has announced that the website that serves the Texas judiciary has been the victim of a ransomware attack. Updated to include comments to The Lawbook by Chief Justice Nathan Hecht.