Corporate executives and a handful of their lawyers want to create a new specialized court system that focuses only on complex commercial disputes similar to the chancery courts in Delaware – but with a Texas twist. The proposed Texas business court would have appointed judges, juries and its own business appellate court. It also has opponents who argued that there is nothing wrong with the current civil court system and judges elected by citizens. The Texas Lawbook has both sides arguments and in-depth details of the business court proposal.
More Stories
Final Sentencing in Forest Park Fraud Case
The sentencing of 14 defendants convicted in the Forest Park Medical Center bribery scam have finally been sentenced to a combined 74+ years in federal prison. The last to be sentenced was Alan Beauchamp, the architect, builder and marketer of the fraud. The Lawbook’s Bruce Tomaso was there for the end of a three day marathon of reckoning in one of the most substantial and prominent medical frauds in Dallas history.
Divided Texas Supreme Court Sidesteps Decision on ERCOT’s Sovereign Immunity
A hotly divided Texas Supreme Court decided Friday that the Texas Constitution prevents them from deciding – at least not at this time – whether ERCOT is a governmental body that has sovereign immunity and is thus protected from lawsuits. But four justices, including Chief Justice Nathan Hecht, disagree: “The answer to the immunity issue in this case has become perhaps more important to the public than even to the parties. The parties want to know. The public wants to know. The court refuses to answer.”
DBJ: Popular DFW Restaurant Chain Exits Bankruptcy
The buffet-style pizza chain has emerged from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas in less than two months after filing for Chapter 11.
East Texas Jury Hits Two Houston Companies with $152M Verdict — Updated
A federal jury in East Texas awarded Plano-based property management software company ResMan with a $152 million verdict after finding a former customer improperly accessed ResMan’s software to develop its own rival product with a third party. The verdict is the conclusion of only one of two trials in the case, the first of which resulted in a mistrial due to a Covid-19 outbreak. Natalie Posgate has the details.
Four More Doctors Get Prison Time as FPMC Sentencing Continues
“Crime does not pay, even when millions are involved.”
With those words, U.S. District Judge Jack Zouhary sentenced Douglas Won, once a wealthy, preeminent spinal surgeon, to five years in federal prison for his role in a massive bribery and kickback scheme involving Forest Park Medical Center, a now-defunct physician-owned hospital in North Dallas. The judge also sent Won’s onetime business partner, surgeon Michael Rimlawi, to prison.
Federal Judge to Forest Park Medical Defendants: Change Scrubs to Stripes
A federal judge Wednesday sentenced Mac Burt, a founder and top administrator of Forest Park Medical Center, and surgeon Shawn Henry to several years in prison and ordered them to pay millions of dollars in restitution for their role in a $40 million fraud and kickback scheme. A nurse was hit with a three year prison term. Four more doctors will be sentenced Thursday. The Texas Lawbook’s Bruce Tomaso was in federal court in Dallas all day and has an in-depth report.
Forest Park Surgeons, Executives Face Prison Time Today
Six surgeons, a chiropractor and five hospital administrators from the now defunct Forest Park Medical Center fraud case – including seven who were found guilty at a lengthy trial nearly two years ago – are back in federal court today to learn how much time they could spend in prison. The Forest Park case exposed a vast bribery and kickback conspiracy involving prominent Texas surgeons and a luxurious physician-owned hospital. The Texas Lawbook is in the courtroom and will provide updates.
CDT Roundup: 15 Deals, 9 Firms, 109 Lawyers, $3.2B
Sidley and Mergermarket have released the results of a survey testing the optimism of 150 executives from the PE and corporate dealmaking worlds. Considering the survey questions were answered in November, the optimism meter was running at low RPMs. Still, there are some interesting contrasts. Those and a review of the week’s deals by the CDT Roundup’s new addition, Anna Butler.
Houston Energy Dealmaker A.J. Ericksen Laterals to White & Case
Ericksen had become a go-to deal lawyer at Baker Botts, where he started his career and made partner in 2014. The new White & Case partner had an active 2020.