The Texas Supreme Court’s Revamped Review Process

The Texas Supreme Court recently adopted extensive amendments to the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure that will have a dramatic effect on litigation before the Court.

Most notably, the Court all but eliminated its practice of requesting merits briefs before deciding whether to grant review of a case. Going forward, the Court will ordinarily decide whether to grant review, request merits briefs and schedule oral argument based on the petition-stage briefing alone. This combined decision now requires a minimum of four votes, whereas requesting merits briefing previously required only three.

January 15, 2026 Allyson N. Ho, Brad Hubbard & Stephen Hammer

Asked & Answered with Haynes Boone’s Catherine Robb: Fighting for the First Amendment & Family Legacy 

In this edition of Asked & Answered, Haynes Boone counsel Catherine Robb talks about media defamation cases and what drew her to a First Amendment practice. Robb also discusses her family’s legacy and what she hopes hers is.

December 17, 2025 Alexa Shrake

The 40-Year Legacy of Pennzoil v. Texaco — An Appeal for the Ages

Executives at Texaco woke up Nov. 20 — exactly 40 years ago today — like it was the morning after aliens attacked in the movie Independence Day. A day earlier, a Houston jury ruled the New York-based oil and gas giant had tortiously interfered with a 1984 agreement Getty Oil made to merge with Pennzoil and awarded Pennzoil $10.53 billion. Texaco’s stock took a beating — dropping from $80 per share when the litigation started to $32 the week following the trial. Some Wall Street analysts were openly warning about bankruptcy. The company’s convertible bonds plummeted in value. Texaco’s debt rating was cut by Standard & Poor’s. Interest accruing on the judgment was $2.8 million every single day.

Between Thanksgiving 1985 and Christmas 1987, the two energy companies and their ever-expanding roster of litigators did battle. The litigation itself multiplied, including a precedent-setting federal case in New York over Texaco’s appeals bond, a monumental appellate battle, a bizarre decision by the Texas Supreme Court, the world’s largest corporate bankruptcy at the time and a historic settlement.

Both sides hired major reinforcements — fresh legs and fresh eyes, if you will — as the trial teams had been going full speed for 21 straight months. The appeals team for Texaco beefed up with several heavy hitters from Fulbright & Jaworski and David Boies of Cravath in New York. Pennzoil added a Texas superstar in V&E’s Harry Reasoner and Laurence Tribe of Harvard Law School.

In Part II of our series looking back at the significance of the Pennzoil v. Texaco trial, The Lawbook examines the post-verdict appeals, which were historic and precedent-setting.

November 20, 2025 Mark Curriden & Alexa Shrake

Former SCOTX Chiefs Make Case for Judicial Independence

Nathan Hecht, Wallace B. Jefferson and Thomas Phillips held court in a large tent on Austin’s Congress Avenue last weekend to discuss issues related to the Third Branch of government. They fielded questions about a recent constitutional amendment that gave the governor greater authority over judicial discipline and the rise of claims under the Texas Constitution.

November 18, 2025 Janet Elliott

Asked & Answered with Kirkland & Ellis’s Kasdin Mitchell: From the White House to the U.S. Supreme Court

In this edition of Asked & Answered, Kirkland & Ellis partner Kasdin Mitchell talks about getting to argue in the U.S. Supreme Court, where she once clerked for Justice Clarence Thomas, as well as her time before law school, working in the White House for First Lady Laura Bush. Her mother’s pursuit of a law degree inspired her own path.

November 5, 2025 Alexa Shrake

Traveling Oral Arguments: Justices Question Tax on Airline, Trade Secrets Claim for Tech Used on Driverless Semitrucks

The Fifteenth Court of Appeals heard arguments in disputes over taxes and trade secrets while at the Texas A&M School of Law in Fort Worth Thursday. One of the cases originated from the Texas Business Court.

October 31, 2025 Alexa Shrake

Kyle Hawkins is Newest Texas Supreme Court Justice

Gov. Greg Abbott announced Friday he has appointed the former solicitor general of Texas to serve as the newest member of the Texas Supreme Court. Kyle Hawkins, who most recently was a partner at Lehotsky Keller Cohn, will be filling the seat left vacant by former Justice Jeff Boyd, who left the court in September.

October 24, 2025 Michelle Casady

Legal Aid Work Celebrated at Luncheon with SCOTX

Real world stories related by legal services lawyers highlighted the impact of Texas Access to Justice Foundation funding at this year’s event. Justice Brett Busby presented awards to Greenberg Traurig and the Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs.

October 23, 2025 Janet Elliott

Newest SCOTX Justice Tries for Federal Bench

Justice James P. Sullivan has interviewed to become a U.S. District Court Judge in Austin. It would be a fast track for Sullivan, who joined the Texas Supreme Court in January. Federal Magistrate Judge Dustin Howell also is said to be under consideration for the bench once held by Lee Yeakel.

October 20, 2025 Janet Elliott

SCOTX Hears Arguments in Nicotine Pouch Tax Appeal

The justices fired off questions about olive oil, wine, banana bread and podiums in trying to suss out where the line should be drawn on what constitutes a product “made of tobacco or a tobacco substitute.” The decision on whether nicotine pouches can be taxed as a tobacco product could have wide implications as the popularity of the products continues to grow. 

October 8, 2025 Michelle Casady