For contact Information including telephone numbers and address for this court and a photo of this
judge, go to ---> official web page for the 333rd District Court of Harris County (Hon. Halbach)
High Profile trial court cases in this court:
Sep. 24, 2009. Wife of R. Allen Stanford sues divorce lawyers for $200 million in damages along with
fee forfeitures for alleged legal malpractice in connection with an alleged oral settlement offer of $200
million. See Original Petition in Cause No. 2009-61538 Susan Stanford v. Nancy Rommelmann dba
The Law Offices of Nancy Rommelmann, Pavlas, Brown & York, L.L.P. (attorney malpractice).
The lawsuit was assigned to the 333rd District Court, the Hon. Tad Halbach presiding.
Some Appeals from cases in Judge Halbach's Court
Lambertz v. Robinson (HCAD) (Tex.App.- Houston [14th.] Mar. 25, 2010)(per curiam)
(tax protest appeal and due process, administrative remedies exclusive remedy)
AFFIRMED: Per Curiam
Before Justices Brock Yates, Seymore and Brown
14-09-00650-CV Robert W. Lambertz v. Jim Robinson and Oliver Esch
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Joseph ("Tad") Halbach
Clear Lake City Water Authority v. MCR Corporation, (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.] Mar. 11,
2010)(Radack) (interlocutory appeal from order denying plea to the jurisdiction on governmental
immunity grounds, legis waived immunity)
This case arises from a contract dispute between a water authority and a developer. When the developer brought suit
asserting breach of contract, the water authority asserted governmental immunity from suit. By interlocutory appeal,
the water authority now challenges the trial court's order denying its plea to the jurisdiction. Concluding that the Texas
Legislature waived the water authority's immunity from suit under section 271.152 of the Texas Local Government
Code, we affirm the trial court's order.
AFFIRM TRIAL COURT JUDGMENT: Opinion by Chief Justice Radack
Before Chief Justice Radack, Justices Alcala and Higley
01-08-00955-CV Clear Lake City Water Authority v. MCR Corporation
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Joseph Halbach
WTG Gas Processing, LP v. ConocoPhillips Company (pdf) (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Mar. 2,
2010) (Corrected superseding opinion by Seymore)
AFFIRMED: Opinion by Justice Seymore
Before Chief Justice Hedges, Justices Anderson and Seymore
14-08-00019-CV WTG Gas Processing, LP v. ConocoPhillips Company, Targa Field Services, LLC,
Targa Resources Texas GP LLC, Targa Resouces, Inc., Targa Texas Field Services, Lp and
Warburg Pincus, LLC Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Joseph J. ("Tad") Halbach
WTG Gas Processing, LP v. ConocoPhillips Company (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Feb. 23, 2010)(Superseded opinion by
Seymore)(cross appeals, breach of contract and tortious-interference claims, no contract formed, statute of frauds, summary judgment
affirmed)
AFFIRMED: Opinion by Justice Seymore
Before Chief Justice Hedges, Justices Anderson and Seymore
14-08-00019-CV WTG Gas Processing, LP v. ConocoPhillips Company, Targa Field Services, LLC, Targa Resources Texas GP LLC,
Targa Resouces, Inc., Targa Texas Field Services, Lp and Warburg Pincus, LLC Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Joseph J. Halbach
Uptegraph v. Sandlwood Civic Club (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.] Feb. 5, 2010)(Taft)
(home owners in court, HOA litigation, restrictive covenants, deed restrictions, fence)
AFFIRM TC JUDGMENT: Opinion by Justice Taft
Before Chief Justice Radack, Justices Taft and Sharp
01-07-00764-CV Scott D. Uptegraph, Jr. and Kara K. Uptegraph v. Sandalwood Civic Club
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Joseph Halbach
Tow v. Pagano (Tex.App. - Houston [1st Dist.] Nov. 5, 2009)(Higley)
(no judicial estoppel based on nondisclosure of med-mal cause of action as asset in bankruptcy suit,
suit by trustee no time-barred, relationship between federal bankruptcy and state court proceedings)
REVERSE TC JUDGMENT AND REMAND CASE TO TC FOR FURTHER PROCEEDINGS:
Opinion by Justice Higley
Before Justices Higley, Sharp and Mirabal
01-07-00464-CV Rodney Tow, Trustee for the Bankruptcy Estate of Erwina v. Scott K. Pagano, D.C.
and Campbell Chiropractic Wellness Center
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Joseph Halbach
ERG Resources LLC v. Merlon Texas, Inc. (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.] Oct. 29, 2009)(Jennings)
(oil gas and minerals law, no breach of contract, contract for sale, no conversion claim if no longer
owned by plaintiff)
AFFIRM TC JUDGMENT: Opinion by Justice Terry Jennings
Before Justices Jennings, Higley and Sharp
01-08-01007-CV ERG Resources. LLC v. Merlon Texas, Inc.
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: The Honorable Joseph J. Halbach
Benavente v. Granger (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.] Oct. 23, 2009)(Radack)
(rear-end automobile collision, negligence not established, take-nothing judgment affirmed)
AFFIRM TC JUDGMENT: Opinion by Chief Justice Radack
Before Chief Justice Radack, Justices Taft and Sharp
01-08-00227-CV Maricella Benavente v. Daniel Granger and Beverly Granger
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Joseph Halbach
Dissenting Opinion by Justice Sharp in Benavente v. Granger (would find negligence)
North Cypress Med. Ctr. Operation Co, Ltd. v. Laurent, MD (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Aug. 4,
2009)(Sullivan) (interlocutory appeal of temporary injunction, no irreparable damages shown,
temporary injunction dissolved by court of appeals)(partnership dispute)
REVERSED AND REMANDED: Opinion by Justice Sullivan
Before Justices Seymore, Brown and Sullivan
14-09-00204-CV North Cypress Medical Center Operating Company, Ltd. and North Cypress
Operating G.P. LLC v. Matthew St. Laurent, M.D
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: JOSEPH J. HALBACH
In Re North Cypress Medical Center Operating Company, Ltd (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Aug. 4,
2009)(Sullivan)(mandamus granted to vacate order requiring funds to be paid into the registry of the
court, criteria for such order not satisfied)
MOTION OR WRIT GRANTED: Opinion by Justice Kent Sullivan
Before Justices Seymore, Brown and Sullivan
14-09-00289-CV In Re North Cypress Medical Center Operating Company, Ltd. and North Cypress
Medical Center Operating Company GP, LLC
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Potter v. Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc. (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.] Jul. 2, 2009)(Taft)
(billboard lease, billboard lease, construction of lease, contract interpretation, quantum meruit,
declaratory judgment, UDJA, attorney's fees)
AFFIRM TRIAL COURT JUDGMENT IN PART, REVERSE TRIAL COURT JUDGMENT IN PART, AND
REMAND CASE TO TRIAL COURT FOR FURTHER PROCEEDINGS: Opinion by Justice Taft
Before Chief Justice Radack, Justices Taft and Sharp
01-07-00578-CV Larry E. Potter v. Clear Channel Outdoor, Inc.
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Joseph Halbach
Lowe's Home Centers Inc. v. GSW Marketing, Inc. (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Jun. 30, 2009 (op.
by Guzman) (workplace safety, premises liability-store - falling merchandise, negligent activity and
premises liability, premises defect, worker compensation subrogation)
AFFIRMED: Opinion by Justice Eva Guzman
Before Justices Brock Yates, Guzman and Sullivan
14-07-00953-CV Lowe's Home Centers Inc & Natasha Tanner v. GSW Marketing, Inc. f/k/a
Salesmaker, Inc. d/b/a CSA Services Southwest and Snow Mountain Construction, Inc
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: JOSEPH J. HALBACH
Gerdes v. Fogler (Tex.App. - Houston [14th Dist.] May 7, 2009)(Frost)
(judgment debtor's civil lawsuit against the judgment creditor and the attorney who represented the
judgment creditor for abuse of process, false imprisonment, and malicious prosecution)
AFFIRMED: Opinion by Justice Frost
Before Justices Frost, Brown and Boyce
14-07-01020-CV Roger Gerdes v. Murray Fogler, Individually, McDade Fogler, LLP, and John
Kennamer, Individually--Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Joseph J. (Tad) Halbach
Harland v. Progressive County Mutual Ins. Co. (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Apr. 23,
2009)(Anderson) (insurance coverage, failure to pay policy premium to renew coverage)
AFFIRMED: Opinion by Justice John Anderson
Before Chief Justice Hedges, Justices Anderson and Seymore
14-07-00955-CV Charles Hartland v. Progressive County Mutual Insurance Company
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: JOSEPH J. HALBACH
Hernandez v. Brinker International, Inc. (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Mar. 31, 2009)(Brown)
(premises liability, actual knowledge of dangerous condition, contractor)
REVERSED AND REMANDED: Opinion by Justice Brown
Before Justices Brock Yates, Anderson and Brown
14-07-00341-CV David Hernandez v. Brinker International, Inc.,
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Joseph J. Halbach
In re Stanford Dev. Corp. (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.] Jan. 29, 2009)(Radack)
(arbitration agreement, nonsignatory to arbitration agreement contract provision)
DENY PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS: Opinion by Chief Justice Radack
Before Chief Justice Radack, Justices Nuchia and Higley
01-08-00386-CV In re Stanford Development Corporation
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Joseph J. Halbach, Jr.
Approximately $30,400.00 v. State of Texas (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Oct. 7, 2008)(per curiam)(civil forfeiture,
sanctions reversed)
REVERSED AND REMANDED: Per Curiam
Before Justices Frost, Seymore and Guzman
14-07-00342-CV Approximately $30,400.00 v. The State of Texas
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: JOSEPH J. HALBACH
Heckel v. Allen Samuels Chevrolet and GE (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Aug. 28, 2008)(Guzman)
(product liability claim time-barred, warranty claim remanded)
AFFIRMED IN PART; REVERSED & REMANDED IN PART: Opinion by Justice Guzman
Before Justices Brock Yates, Guzman and Brown
14-07-00254-CV Sharon Heckel v. Allen Samuels Chevrolet and General Motors Corporation
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Joseph J. Halbach
CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric LLC V Bluebonnet Drive, Ltd. (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.] July 31,
2008)(Radack) (interpretation of easement, new cell phone technology vs. telephone and telegraph wires in 1929)
REVERSE TC JUDGMENT AND RENDER JUDGMENT: Opinion by Chief Justice Radack
Before Chief Justice Radack, Justices Nuchia and Keyes
01-07-00734-CV CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric LLC and SprintCom, Inc. v. Bluebonnet Drive, Ltd., and
Petro-Guard Company, Inc.
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Joseph Halbach
Marvin v. Fithian (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.] July 1, 2008)(Seymore) (HCLC, interlocutory appeal, failure to provide
proper post-operative care, doctor's motion to dismiss properly denied)
AFFIRMED: Opinion by Justice Seymore
Before Justices Fowler, Frost and Seymore
14-07-00996-CV Robert Marvin v. Vicki Fithian
Appeal from 334th District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Joseph J. Halbach aka Judge Tad Halbach
Bill White, Mayor v. Robinson (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Apr. 3, 2008)(Seymore)
(election law, dispute over validity of citizen-initiated proposition)
REVERSED AND REMANDED: Opinion by Justice Seymore
14-06-00167-CV Bill White, Mayor, City of Houston, and Houston City Council v. Carroll G. Robinson, Bruce R. Hotze,
and Jeffrey N. Daily
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Joseph J. Halbach
City of Houston v. Clark (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Mar. 18, 2008)(Majority Opinion by Frost) (firefighter litigation,
Houston of Houston litigation, public employment, immunity plea, claim, lack of jurisdiction over dispute, hearing
examiner)
AFFIRMED IN PART DISMISSED IN PART: Opinion by Justice Frost
14-03-00399-CV The City of Houston v. Donald Clark
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge: Hon. Joseph J. Halbach
Concurring Opinion by Justice Edelman In City of Houston v. Clark (2008)
Yeh v. MacOugall (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.] Jan. 17, 2008)(Alcala)
(breach of contract, counterclaim, attorney's fees, prevailing party)
AFFIRM TC JUDGMENT: Opinion by Justice Alcala
Before Chief Justice Radack, Justices Alcala and Bland
01-06-00509-CV Peter J. Yeh v. David J. MacDougall, D.O., P.A. d/b/a Neurosurgical Association of Houston
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County (Hon. Joseph Halbach)
Forrester v. Ginn (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Jan. 10, 2008)(majority op. on rehearing by Hedges)(DWOP
dismissal reversed in restricted appeal)
REVERSED AND REMANDED: Opinion by Chief Justice Hedges
Before Chief Justice Hedges, Justices Hudson and Guzman
14-06-00549-CV Jeff Forrester and Kim Forrester v. Emmanuel Ginn, A&R Transport, Inc., Keith Jackson, and Steve
Brantley
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County (Judge Joseph J. Halbach)
In re Akram Mohammad (Tex.App.- Houston [1st Dist.} Oct. 25, 2007)(per curiam)
DENY PETITION FOR WRIT OF MANDAMUS: Per Curiam (real estate law: lis pendens)
(Before Justices Taft, Hanks and Higley)
01-07-00881-CV In re Akram Mohammad and Nasreen A. Mohammad
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County (Hon. Joseph J. Halbach, Jr.)
In Re Intracare Hospital (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Sep. 13, 2007)(per curiam)
(HCLC, discovery mandamus, assertion of privilege, privilege log)
MOTION OR WRIT GRANTED: Per Curiam
Before Justices Brock Yates, Anderson and Hudson
14-07-00127-CV In Re: Intercare Hospital D/B/A Intracare Medical Center Hospital
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County (Honorable Joseph J Halbach aka Tad Halbach)
Forrester v. Emmanuel Ginn, A&R Transport, Inc., (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Jul. 26, 2007)(Hedges)(DWOJ,
restricted appeal)
AFFIRMED: Opinion by Chief Justice Hedges
Before Chief Justice Hedges, Justices Hudson and Guzman
14-06-00549-CV Jeff Forrester and Kim Forrester v. Emmanuel Ginn, A&R
Transport, Inc., Keith Jackson, and Steve Brantley
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County (Judge Joseph J. Halbach)
In Re Meshark Omoruyi (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] May 31, 2007)(per curiam)
[arbitration mandamus]
MOTION OR WRIT DENIED: Per Curiam
Before Justices Anderson, Fowler and Frost
14-07-00363-CV In Re: Meshark Omoruyi
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County (Judge Joseph J. Halbach - Tad Halbach)
Supreme Court requests briefing on the merits in appeal from medical malpractice suit in Judge Halbach's court
Young., M.D. and Baylor College of Medicine v. Silva Villegas (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Apr. 3, 2007, pet. filed and
briefing on merits requested)(Frost)
(Health care liability claim, immunity claim, interlocutory appeal)
AFFIRMED IN PART DISMISSED IN PART: Opinion by Justice Frost
Before Justices Fowler, Edelman and Frost
14-06-00072-CV Amy Young., M.D. and Baylor College of Medicine v. Silva Villegas and Armondo Villegas, Individually
and as Parents and Next Friends of Mark Anthony Villegas
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County (Judge Joseph J. Halbach)
Mojtahedi v. BHV Realty, Inc. (Tex.App.- Houston [14th Dist.] Mar. 15, 2007)(Frost)
(landlord-tenant, unpaid rent, eviction)
AFFIRMED: Opinion by Justice Frost
Before Justices Fowler, Edelman and Frost
14-05-01101-CV Karim K. Mojtahedi v. BHV Realty, Inc.
Appeal from 333rd District Court of Harris County
Trial Court Judge Joseph J. (Tad) Halbach
.
| Hon. Joseph James Halbach, Jr. Judge of the 333rd District Court in Harris County, Texas Houston Opinions |
| Houston Courts & Cases Harris County Civil Courts and Judges (Non-family) |
2008 ELECTION OUTCOME: REP Joseph "Tad" Halbach 547,442 Votes: 50.02%
DEM Goodwille Pierre 547,091 Votes: 49.98% See all Harris County Election Results
DEM Goodwille Pierre 547,091 Votes: 49.98% See all Harris County Election Results
cript src="http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" type="text/javascript">
Republican incumbent: Joseph "Tad" Halbach, Jr. vs. Democratic candidate for this bench: Goodwille Pierre RESULT: Halbach wins with narrow margin and keeps bench |