Houston Judge Overseeing Winter Storm Uri Lawsuits Praised by Plaintiff and Defense Lawyers

Houston trial lawyers say Judge Sylvia A. Matthews is smart, fair, well-prepared, smart, organized, hard-working, smart, efficient, decisive … and smart. Those traits well serve Matthews, an experienced commercial litigator and trial judge, as she presides over pretrial matters in more than 150 (and counting) lawsuits stemming from one of the deadliest, costliest disasters in Texas history – Winter Storm Uri, the icy blizzard that paralyzed Texas and its electric grid last February.

November 22, 2021 Bruce Tomaso

EasyKnock v. Feldman & Feldman: To TRO or not to TRO?

A Houston federal judge is mulling over whether he will issue a temporary injunction that would order Houston plaintiff’s firm Feldman & Feldman to take down statements from its website that its courtroom opponent, residential sales leaseback firm EasyKnock, alleges are false and defamatory. EasyKnock alleges not doing so would cause irreparable harm, while Feldman & Feldman argues doing so would amount to prior restraint — a strict standard in First Amendment law.

November 19, 2021 Natalie Posgate

Astroworld Lawsuits Now Number 100+ with 250 Alleged Victims

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.

November 18, 2021 Mark Curriden

Behind the Scenes of Winston’s Recent Mask Mandate Win

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.

November 18, 2021 Natalie Posgate

Defamation Feud Begins Between Home Sales-Leaseback Firm and Houston Law Firm

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.

November 16, 2021 Natalie Posgate

Baker Botts Wins Summary Judgment in $5.6M Dispute with Venezuela’s State-Owned Oil Company

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.

November 10, 2021 Bruce Tomaso

Houston Chronicle: Houston ISD to Pay $300K in Legal Fees Over First Amendment Violations

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.

November 10, 2021 Alejandro Serrano of the Houston Chronicle

Astroworld Festival Suits Pile Up, Lawyers Bountiful in TRO Hearing in Harris Co. District Court

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.

November 9, 2021 Mark Curriden

Updated – Chad Pinkerton Knows the Game Plan Against Live Nation and Travis Scott

Within hours of eight people dying and scores of others being injured at the Astroworld Festival Friday night, the website of Houston lawyer Chad Pinkerton was blowing up. He was getting calls and emails from victims and their families. Pinkerton is one of a dozen prominent lawyers – including Richard Mithoff, C.J. Baker and Rusty Hardin, to name a few – likely to file lawsuits this week seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages against Live Nation, rapper Travis Scott and a plethora of other potential defendants connected to the tragedy that took place outside of NRG Stadium.

But unlike many other lawyers, Pinkerton has been in court before against Live Nation and he knows the concert producer’s modus operandi.

November 8, 2021 Mark Curriden

Houston Music Festival Tragedy Lawsuits Coming, “Hundreds of Millions in Damages” Predicted

The legal liabilities will reach into the hundreds of millions of dollars for the producers, promoters, performers and subcontractors – including security firms – of Houston’s Astroworld Festival Friday night that resulted in the deaths of eight people and dozens of others who were injured, legal experts predicted Saturday. Rapper Travis Scott, who was performing at the time of the crowd surge, may also face significant liability.

November 6, 2021 Mark Curriden