Agency, Declaratory Judgments, Litigation, Procedure, Ultra Vires, Uncategorized

Amarillo Court of Appeals holds committed individual cannot challenge commitment or conditions through secondary suit

James Richards v. Marsha McLane, in Her Official Capacity as Director of the Texas Civil Commitment Office, 07-20-00306-CV, (Tex. App – Amarillo, July 6, 2021) This is a declaratory judgment/ultra vires type case where the Amarillo Court of Appeals affirmed the granting
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Agency, Declaratory Judgments, Litigation

Austin Court of Appeals holds AG established only 6 days of violations by city of concealed handgun prohibitions, not the 500+ asserted

Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General v. City of Austin, Mayor Steve Adler, Ora Houston, Delia Garza, Sabino Renteria, Gregorio Casar, Ann Kitchen, Don Zimmerman, Leslie Pool, Ellen Troxclair, Kathie Tovo, and Sheri Gallo, each in their Official Capacity, 03-19-00501-CV, (Tex. App –
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Agency, Attorney Fees, Declaratory Judgments, Litigation, Sovereign Immunity, Uncategorized

San Antonio Court of Appeals holds city ethics commission properly ruled complainant’s filing was frivolous and could award sanctions

Lakshmana Viswanath v. The City of Laredo, 04-20-00152-CV (Tex. App. – San Antonio, April 14, 2021) This is an appeal from a city ethics commission determination where the San Antonio Court of Appeals affirmed the commission’s finding but reversed the award of
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Agency, Declaratory Judgments, Health and Safety, Injunction, Litigation, Nuisance, Procedure, Takings

Property owner not entitled to de novo review of nuisance determination says Austin Court of Appeals

Mark Groba v. The City of Taylor, Texas, 03-19-00365-CV (Tex. App. – Austin, Feb. 3, 2021) In this nuisance abatement case, the Austin Court of Appeals affirmed the granting of the City’s plea to the jurisdiction. Groba, a real property owner, was
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Agency, Declaratory Judgments, Injunction, Litigation

Texas Supreme Court holds Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners’ rules are valid even over objection of the Texas Medical Association

Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners v Texas Medical Association, 18-1223 (Tex. Jan. 29, 2021) This case centers on the tension between chiropractors and physicians and several Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners’ rules. The Texas Supreme Court held the Board’s rules were valid. 
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Agency, Declaratory Judgments, Injunction, Litigation, Procedure, Tax

Austin Court of Appeals holds temporary injunction order need not set a specific trial date, but must place the case for trial on the court’s calendar, otherwise the order is void

  Hegar, Comptroller of Public Accounts of State of Texas, et al., v Zertuche Construction, LLC, 03-19-00238-CV (Tex. App. – Austin, Jan. 22, 2021). This is a tax collection case, but the main thrust is the procedural ruling on injunctions where the
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Agency, Constitutional Challenge, Litigation, Sec. 1983, Takings

U.S. 5th Circuit holds property owner’s federal Clean Water Act claim against Town for improper discharge was proper due to lack of comparable state regulation

Stringer v. Town of Jonesboro, 20-30192 (5th Cir. Jan. 18, 2021) In this §1983 taking suit and federal Clean Water Act (“CWA”) case, the U.S. 5th Circuit held the Plaintiff’s §1983 suit for damages due to sewage backup was barred, but not
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Agency, Constitutional Challenge, Declaratory Judgments, Injunction, Preemption, Public Works

Second Court of Appeals holds general law city has inherent power to require solid waste haulers to obtain a license

Builder Recovery Services LLC v. The Town of Westlake, Texas, 02-20-00051-CV,  (Tex. App. – Fort Worth, Jan. 1, 2021)(mem. op.). This is a declaratory judgment/ordinance invalidation suit brought by a solid waste collector where the Fort Worth Court of Appeals affirmed the
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Agency, Declaratory Judgments, Injunction, Takings, Vested Rigths

The Tenth Court of Appeals affirmed the trial court’s summary judgment against the plaintiff developer because it did not challenge all possible grounds supporting the summary judgment order

  Special contributing author Laura Mueller, City Attorney for Dripping Springs David A. Bauer, et al. v. City of Waco, No. 10-19-00020-CV (Tex. App.—Waco  December 9, 2020) (mem. op.). The Waco Court of Appeals affirmed a trial court’s judgment dismissing the plaintiff’s
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