Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury
The number of lawsuits filed in the wake of the Nov. 5th Astroworld tragedy that killed 10 people has surpassed 100, including the first wrongful death case to be officially filed. The complaints – all filed in Harris County District Court – include about 250 plaintiffs and a dozen defendants, including Live Nation, rapper Travis Scott, the operator of NRG Stadium and some newly identified defendants.
The Texas Lawbook caught up with Tom Melsheimer, who led the team that successfully challenged Gov. Abbott's mask mandate ban in Texas schools, on how his firm got involved, how the case differed from other matters and what the biggest surprises in the litigation were.
A residential sales leaseback firm with a significant presence in Texas is seeking a temporary injunction against Feldman & Feldman that would force the Houston plaintiff’s law firm to remove allegedly defamatory statements from its website. The litigation also includes allegations of barratry, is connected to nine federal lawsuits across Texas and pits Dallas lawyers against Houston lawyers.
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Houston rejects claim by defendants that "through no fault of their own" they can’t access needed records and witnesses because of political upheaval in the South American nation.
Lawyers at Miller Bryant scored a large win this week when a Fort Worth judge denied a motion for summary judgment by American Airlines in a sexual assault case brought by a flight attendant in January of last year involving an incident with a celebrity chef.
A federal judge has ordered Houston ISD to pay nearly $300,000 in legal fees for violating the First Amendment rights of a community activist who was banned from district premises.
A stomach virus and a potential security threat sidetracked the ongoing jury trial in Las Vegas between TeamHealth and insurance giant UnitedHealthcare. The security threat proved false, but a juror was lost to the stomach virus. AZA, the Houston litigation boutique, is representing TeamHealth, a network of physicians and medical professionals complaining of systematic underpayment for their services by UnitedHealthcare. UnitedHealthcare, represented by O'Melveny & Myers, says TeamHealth charged too much in the first place. The Lawbook's Natalie Posgate is monitoring the trial that both sides hope to conclude by Thanksgiving.
The first round of lawsuits – 31 of them as of 10:30 a.m. Tuesday – hit the Harris County District Court dockets through late Monday evening charging a plethora of individuals, businesses and a non-profit organization with gross negligence and premises liability related to the tragedy that occurred Friday at the Astroworld Festival that killed eight people and injured hundreds of others. The Texas Lawbook has the details, including the lineup of plaintiffs and defense lawyers already involved.
© Copyright 2025 The Texas Lawbook
The content on this website is protected under federal Copyright laws. Any use without the consent of The Texas Lawbook is prohibited.
