Significant Victories
Blaylock v. Holland, No. 05-13-01197-CV, 2014 WL 3736210 (Tex. App.— Dallas July 14, 2014, no pet.) (mem. op.)
Reversing a trial court’s refusal to award clients trial court costs following successful appeal of adverse judgment.
In re H.E. Trans, No. 05-14-00340-CV, 2014 WL 2937497 (Tex. App.–Dallas June 26, 2014, orig. proceeding) (mem. op.)
Denial of petition for mandamus when the defendant challenged the trail court’s new trial order entered after the defendant asked the trial court to impose constitutional due process limitations to a punitive damages award.
RJ Meridian Care of Alice, Ltd. v. Robledo, No. 04-14-00195-CV, 2014 WL 2917669 (Tex. App.–San Antonio, June 19, 2014, no pet.) (mem. op.)
Dismissal of interlocutory appeal challenging Chapter 74 expert report for want of jurisdiction in a medical malpractice case.
Atherton v. Gopin, 340 P.3d 630 (N.M. Ct. App. 2014), cert. granted 344 P.3d 988 (N.M. 2014)
Reversing “draconian” use of summary judgment procedure as antithetical to New Mexico’s approach.
Galindo v. Prosperity Partners, Inc., 429 S.W.3d 690 (Tex. App.--Eastland 2014, pet. denied)
Obtained reversal and remand of trial court dismissal order on ground that failure to pay “front pay” discovery sanctions could not become basis for death penalty sanction.
Texas Dept. of Public Safety v. Randolph, No. 02–13–00025–CV, 2014 WL 1875826 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth May 8, 2014, pet. denied) (mem. op.)
Successfully defended against petition for discretionary review in the Texas Supreme Court finding that the trial court correctly interpreted the State’s statutory conceal-carry requirements.
Del Carmen Canas v. Centerpoint Energy Res. Corp., 418 S.W.3d 312 (Tex. App.—Houston [14th Dist.] 2013, no pet.)
Successfully reversing summary judgment in part in a wrongful-death action against a natural gas provider in which provider’s gas lines leaked, allowing odorless gas to accumulate in the decedent’s home, at which point it exploded, severely burning, injuring, and ultimately killing the decedent.
Drury Southwest, Inc. v. Louie Ledeaux No. 1, Inc., No. 04-12-00837-CV, 2013 WL 5812989 (Tex. App.—San Antonio Oct. 30, 2013, opinion withdrawn pursuant to settlement)
Affirmed $1.1 million dollar award, including $800,000 in punitive damages, in commercial fraud case involving a real estate lease.
In re Loya Ins. Co., No. 01-13-00242-CV, 2013 WL 5637702 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] Oct. 15, 2013, orig. proceeding) (mem. op.)
Denial of mandamus of summary judgment in class action, where insurer attempted to “pick off” the class representative by settling with him
CKH Family Ltd. P’ship v. MGD/CCP Acquisition, LLC, No. 05-12-00573-CV, 2013 WL 5614304 (Tex. App.—Dallas Oct. 14, 2013, no pet.) (mem. op.)
Successfully defended order dismissing claims based on parties’ contractual forum selection clause.
Van Voris v. Team Chop Shop, LLC, 402 S.W.3d 915 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2013, no pet.)
Reversed summary judgment originally granted on ground of release. Court held that Van Voris released only his claims for negligence, not gross negligence.
Kelley & Witherspoon, LLP v. Hooper, 401 S.W.3d 841 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2013, no pet.)
Reversing jury verdict in legal malpractice case against law firm where client failed to present medical-expert testimony in support of damage causation
Long v. Elliott, 416 S.W.3d 152 (Tex. App.–Eastland 2013, no pet.)
Requiring return of erroneously forfeited attorney’s fees.
Blaylock v. Holland, 396 S.W.3d 720 (Tex. App.— Dallas 2013, no pet.)
Reversing a trial court’s award of a homeowner’s property to his neighbor by adverse possession, holding that neighbor’s assumption that homeowner’s property was part of neighbor’s backyard, and neighbor’s use of that property as part of her backyard, was legally insufficient to support the trial court’s award by adverse possession.
Borowski v. Ayers, 432 S.W.3d 344 (Tex. App.—Waco 2013, no pet.)
Successfully dismissed interlocutory appeal under CPRC section 51.014(d) where order denying summary judgment did not substantively rule on any controlling legal issue
Richardson v. Richardson, No. 05-12-01123-CV, 2013 WL 3326870 (Tex. App.— Dallas June 27, 2013, no pet.) (mem. op.)
Successfully defended judgment appointing client as sole managing conservator of his children following week-long child custody jury trial.
Shafighi v. Texas Farmers Ins. Co., No. 14-12-00082-CV, 2013 WL 1803609 (Tex. App.— Houston [14th Dist.] April 30 2013, no pet.) (mem. op.)
Reversed and remanded; policyholder client’s failures to sit for examination under oath and to submit proof of claim in proper form did not entitle insurer to summary judgment, but rather only abatement.
MBR & Associates, Inc. v. Lile, No. 02-11-00431-CV, 2012 WL 4661665 (Tex. App.—Fort Worth Oct. 4, 2012, pet. denied) (mem. op.)
Affirming a judgment for approximately $1 million based on findings of fraud, DTPA violations, and gross negligence, as well as a finding piercing the corporate veil, arising out of a contractor’s failed effort to repair a foundation that ruined a homeowner’s house.
Ashton Grove v. Jackson Walker, 366 S.W.3d 790 (Tex. App.—Dallas 2012, no pet.)
Reversing a summary judgment concluding that a law firm failed to prove that attorney’s fees of over $1 million for just over 2 months of work in representing a small business was reasonable and necessary under the Arthur Anderson factors.
Schrapps v. Pham, No. 09-12-00080-CV, 2012 WL 4017768 (Tex. App.—Beaumont Sept. 13, 2012, pet. denied) (mem. op.) (briefed response to Petition for Review)
Denial of petition for review in case challenging a Chapter 74 expert report in a medical malpractice case.