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.
‘Stay-at-Home’ – Legal Principles Too Important for Partisan Politics
Some lawyers argue against the constitutionality of executive “stay-at-home” orders closing certain businesses. But that misapprehends the nature of rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Indeed, a century of American law suggests that executive officials enjoy broad discretion to impose limits on business activity during a public health crisis.
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.
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.
SCOTX Returns “Fuzzy Animal” to 2nd COA
The City of Fort Worth's decades-old struggle with the "fuzzy animal" exception to state gaming laws entered a new phase Friday when a unanimous Texas Supreme Court sent its case back to the Second Court of Appeals. The state's highest court asked the lower court to make the constitutionality of Fort Worth game rooms less...well, fuzzy. Janet Elliott explains.
SCOTX: Jurisdiction Challenge Not Allowed in Parental Termination Case
The custody dispute was closely watched for its potential implications to allow challenges to other final custody rulings. It also attracted attention for the lineup of high-powered legal talent involved in the appeal. Janet Elliott has the details.
Texas Court Administration Hacked in Ransomware Attack
UPDATED: The Texas Office of Court Administration has announced that the website that serves the Texas judiciary has been the victim of a ransomware attack. Updated to include comments to The Lawbook by Chief Justice Nathan Hecht.
DBJ: Texas Central Wins Key Legal Decision for High-Speed Rail Project
The Dallas to Houston high-speed rail project won a key legal battle Thursday. Up next? Potentially the Texas Supreme Court.