SCOTX Refuses to Reconsider Bill Brewer Sanctions Decision
The Texas Supreme Court will not revisit its April decision that reversed disciplinary sanctions against Dallas trial lawyer Bill Brewer for allegedly attempting to taint a jury pool.
Bet the Business, Lose the Business
The start of Judge Andrew Oldham’s opinion in Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Quanta Storage captures the essence of high-stakes litigation. Faced with a major antitrust claim by Hewlett-Packard, “Quanta risked bet-the-company litigation and lost, so the district court ordered it to hand over the company.”
Fifth Circuit Upholds HP’s $438M Antitrust Judgment Against CD-ROM Maker
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Friday upheld a nearly half-billion-dollar judgment in favor of HP, paving the way for its courtroom opponent, Taiwanese CD-ROM manufacturer Quanta Storage, to pay the computer software company $438 million and begin turning over its assets.
Feud Between Rival Recruiters Heads for Fifth Circuit
With a filing in Hong Kong, an otherwise routine employment dispute between recruiters Evan Jowers and Robert Kinney gained global dimension. But it always had the one essential element of a feud: they once were friends. Natalie Posgate explains.
Chron: SCOTX Will Review ERCOT’s Immunity from Lawsuits
The review is a win for Dallas-based electricity generator Panda Power, which is being represented by Haynes and Boone.
SCOTX Decision Preserves $1.7M Verdict in ‘Borrowed Employee’ Case
The 7-1 decision is a win for Austin lawyer Kevin Dubose in the first Texas case argued via Zoom. Janet Elliott has the details.
Texas Appeals Court Orders New Trial in HouseCanary v. Amrock $740M Trade Secrets Dispute
The four-year-long legal battle between property valuation firm Amrock and real estate analytics company HouseCanary experienced another twist this week.
Bryan Garner: Spreading the Word about Words from Dallas
Legal wordsmith extraordinaire Bryan Garner hadn't left his house in 69 days, but the creator of LawProse and editor of Black's Law Dictionary was still finding extraordinary success online. Supreme Court journalist Tony Mauro takes an exclusive look at Garner's career - from being rejected by 31 publishers to being inspired on Twitter by Ricky Gervais. He has 37,000 books in his home library and more than 4,000 dictionaries in his "scriptorium." And don't forget his close but sometimes stormy relationship with Justice Scalia.
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.
Kirkland’s Fielding Explains Why a Win for a Door-to-Door Solicitor Is Actually Positive
A federal appeals court recently told a town in Colorado that it could not impose a door-to-door soliciting curfew on one of the largest pest control companies in the nation. But the ruling does more than allow the company to knock on residents’ doors at dinnertime; it’s a landmark First Amendment victory too. Natalie Posgate learned more from Jeremy Fielding, the Dallas attorney who prevailed.
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.
SCOTX: “Anti-Washout” Clauses Can Violate Texas Constitution
In a case closely monitored by oil and gas interests, the Texas Supreme Court has ruled that contract clauses designed to perpetuate royalty interests from lease-to-lease can violate the rule against perpetuities. But the outcome of the case itself is less explicit, as Janet Elliott, who has been following the case, explains.