Texas Appellate Power Couple Judge Jim and Allyson Ho: How They Met Rests with Textualism

Judge Jim Ho is the first Asian American and only immigrant on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. As a child, he learned English from Sesame Street and as a judge he has received threatening racist letters. He's a hardcore conservative who has joined liberals on the appellate court multiple times, including a recent decision that has energy executives outraged. His wife, Allyson Ho has argued multiple cases at the U.S. Supreme Court, played the harp for the justices when she clerked for Justice O'Connor and helped Justice Amy Barrett through the confirmation process. Despite young twins at home and a hurricane that destroyed their house, Theodore Boutrous Jr. says they are "the ultimate legal power couple" getting things done.

January 7, 2021 Tony Mauro

April Farris Joins First Court of Appeals

April Farris, a former Yetter Coleman appellate partner and state Assistant Solicitor General, is settling into her first workweek as a justice on Houston’s Court of Appeals. Farris says she’s delighted to return to public service and carry out the oath she took on New Year’s Day.

January 6, 2021 Natalie Posgate

Dewayne Brown’s Lawyers on SCOTX Decision: ‘We’ve Set a Precedent’ — Updated

Alfred Dewayne Brown’s lawyers said a decision released Friday by the Supreme Court of Texas will allow future innocent Texans who have been wrongfully convicted of crimes to have “a much easier time getting compensated from the state.”

“We got justice for one man but in the process we’ve set a precedent that’s going to help bring justice to a lot of women and men in the future who might otherwise not be able to get it,” said Susman Godfrey partner Neal Manne, one of Brown’s lawyers.

December 18, 2020 Natalie Posgate

Dallas COA Reverses $98M Verdict Against BBVA

Citing three recent Texas Supreme Court decisions declaring the sanctity of written contracts and the deficiency of extra contractual statements, the Fifth District Court of Appeals in Dallas has reversed a $98 million fraud judgement against BBVA Compass Bank.

December 15, 2020 Mark Curriden

PE Firm Prevails in $460M Breach of Contract Case

An appeals court has declined to revive a lawsuit that claimed Five Point Energy usurped a $460 million corporate opportunity from a portfolio member, but the ruling does more than provide a nine-figure sigh of relief for the Houston private equity firm. Natalie Posgate explains.

December 15, 2020 Natalie Posgate

Texas Loses Second SCOTUS Case in a Week

For the second time in less than a week, Texas has lost an “original jurisdiction” case before the U.S. Supreme Court, giving new gravitas to the nickname Lone Star State. Tony Mauro has the details.

December 14, 2020 Tony Mauro

First COA Reverses $1.5M Verdict Against Baylor Medical J/V

The ruling in favor of Baylor Miraca Genetics Laboratories pours out a 2018 verdict for former company executive Brandon Perthius who had claimed commissions on sales made after he left for a competitor. The Lawbook's Bruce Tomaso has the details.

December 5, 2020 Bruce Tomaso

Circuit Judge Tom Reavley, ‘Pope of the Fifth Circuit,’ Has Died

Thomas Reavley preached his first sermon against racial discrimination in East Texas in 1935. He was a Naval officer in the South Pacific during World War II. He was a prosecutor in Dallas. Governor John Connally appointed him to a Travis County district court and later to the Texas Supreme Court. President Jimmy Carter appointed Reavley to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in 1979. Judge Reavley, who was believed to be the oldest serving federal appellate judge in the U.S., died Tuesday in Houston. He was 99.

December 1, 2020 Mark Curriden