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In a Shocker, Democrats Sweep Top Appeals Court Elections - For the first time in 32 years, Texas will have Democrats on the state’s Supreme Court. With more than 97 percent of the votes counted, three Austin Appeals Court justices and a Harris County district court judge are leading four incumbent Republican justices by margins of four to six percent. The expected victory by the four Democrats places them one vote shy of a majority on the nine-member court. In another shocker — and probably the one with the most immediate impact — Democrats have ousted all three sitting Republican justices on the Texas Fifteenth Court of Appeals. November 4, 2026Mark Curriden

Top Stories

Top Stories

Meet the Four Democrats Who Just Upended the Texas Supreme Court - For over three decades, Republicans had a tight grip on Texas. That changed on Tuesday. Texans not only elected their first Latina governor, but four Democrats unseated Republican Texas Supreme Court justices. Republicans still hold the majority on the bench, but for the first time in the state’s history, a woman was elected chief justice. November 4, 2026Alexa Shrake
Dems Pick Up 4 Seats on Intermediate COAs - In the intermediate appellate court races, Democrats picked up four seats total — three across the two appellate courts in Houston and one on the Thirteenth Court of Appeals, which serves the area of Corpus Christi and Edinburg. A total of 22 seats for the First through Fourteenth Courts of Appeals were on yesterday's ballot, with 18 seats staying with their incumbent parties. In those races, a total of 10 candidates won reelection. November 4, 2026Michelle Casady
New Governance Structure Means No Chapter 11 Trustee in Camp Mystic Bankruptcy  - U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez has approved Camp Mystic's proposal to hand control of its wrongful death litigation to two independent fiduciaries. The 19-page order avoids the appointment of a Chapter 11 trustee but leaves the door open for future challenges from creditors. November 3, 2026Michelle Casady
Marathon, MPLX Sell Two Refineries to CVR for $4.2B - Jones Day advised Marathon led by Houston partner Jeff Schlegel, who heads the firm's global energy practice. Latham & Watkins provided outside legal counsel to the conflicts committee of MPLX. Vinson & Elkins advised CVR Energy. November 3, 2026Jason Philyaw
Litigation Roundup: Momentum Builds for UTEP Law School - In this edition of Litigation Roundup, Motorola sees a discovery win in a European patent infringement dispute reversed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and a Houston appellate court ends a man’s quest to investigate potential Texas Heartbeat Act claims against a former romantic partner. November 2, 2026Michelle Casady
Kirkland Advises Blackstone in $3.1B Canadian LNG Deal - Blackstone has partnered with Canadian institutional investors to acquire a 49.9% non-controlling interest in Mitsubishi’s LNG Canada liquefaction business for $3.1 billion. Kirkland & Ellis and Stikeman Elliott provided outside legal counsel to Blackstone. November 2, 2026Jason Philyaw

Centerpiece

Asked & Answered with Texas Business Court Judge Marialyn Barnard: Switching Careers and What’s Next for the Court - In this edition of Asked & Answered, Texas Business Court Judge Marialyn Barnard, recently appointed to her second term on the bench, says serving on the court is the highlight of her career. She also talks about passing the bar at age 39, teaching high school English and why she wants lawmakers to expand the Business Court’s jurisdiction across the state. November 4, 2026Alexa Shrake
UPDATED: NRA Sues William Brewer and His Law Firm for $200 Million-Plus - The National Rifle Association has filed a petition in Dallas to claw back more than $200 million in legal fees from William Brewer and his law firm. The gun rights group alleges the Dallas attorney committed egregious malpractice, shielded former CEO Wayne LaPierre, and orchestrated a disastrous bad-faith bankruptcy. The Brewer Law Firm, in a statement Tuesday to The Texas Lawbook, said it is proud of the legal work it did for the NRA and will “vigorously defend that record of excellence against these baseless claims.” November 2, 2026Mark Curriden

Expert Voices

Jurors on the Move, Contracts on Trial: October’s Texas Business Court Decisions - From UCC output contracts to the internal affairs doctrine, the Texas Business Court’s October docket provided a clear window into how the new bench is handling high-stakes corporate disputes. Notable rulings included applying Texas' strict pre-suit demand requirements to a derivative suit against Coinbase’s directors and using the economic-loss rule to limit tort claims in commercial lease fights. November 2, 2026Zack Ewing & Austin Lesch
Tried and Tested: What the Texas Business Court’s First Trials Reveal About Its Emerging Jurisprudence - Operating since September 2024, the Texas Business Court has swiftly moved from a statutory innovation into an active, high-stakes commercial trial forum. The court's first nine completed bench and jury trials reveal a bench defined by strict contractual textualism, evidentiary discipline requiring proof of actual loss, measured remedies and rapid trial timelines. October 27, 2026Jarod Stewart

More Stories

Agreeing to Agree: Justices Increasingly Turn to Concurrences to Invite Appeals, Advise Lawmakers
Latham Adds Five Texas Partners for Project Development, Finance Teams
Weil’s Collapse Ran Through Texas
More Stories


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