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RECENT OPINIONS FROM THE SUPREME COURT OF TEXAS
News Items
Third Court of Appeals Opinions now available on Austin Appellate
Caselaw Blog

August 24, 2007 - Supreme Court Resumes Weekly Release of Opinions

July-Aug  2007 - Texas Supreme Court sets cases for oral argument and
denies petitions for review, but does not issue any new opinions.

June 29, 2007 - Most Recent Texas Supreme Court Opinions (covering
issues in tort law and first amendment (religion), sovereign immunity,
mandatory forum selection, constructive trust, liability for workplace injury,
insurance subrogation, and pro se prisoners' litigation rights)

June 22, 2007- Schaub v. Sanchez (Tex. Jun 22, 2007)(per curiam)(HCLC)

June 1, 2007 - Texas Supreme Court decides another batch of sovereign
immunity appeals

May 11, 2007 - Texas Supreme Court hands down yet another (superseding)
opinion in F.F.P. Operating Partners vs. Duenez, a Dram Shop Act case.
Two justices issue dissenting opinions, including Chief Justice Jefferson.

April 24, 2007 - Fifth Circuit Moots Appeal in Harris County Bible
Monument Case. Remands to District Court for  determination of attorney's
fees. Staley v. Harris County (5th Cir)(en banc)

April 20, 2007 - Texas Supreme Court hands down thirteen opinions
addressing a broad array of legal issues; grants mandamus relief to compel
arbitration and disqualification of counsel.

April 8, 2007 - Houston Chronicle editorial calls on Supreme Court Justice
Nathan Hecht to recuse himself from case involving donor to his election
campaign and to his legal defense in a disciplinary proceeding; concludes that
Hecht "let the people down" in accepting money from a party with a case
before the court.

March 29, 2007 - President Bush nominates Harris County District Court
Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod to fill Fifth Circuit vacancy.

March 20, 2007 - Supreme Court initiates
video web casts of oral arguments in collaboration with St. Mary's University
School of Law.

Mar. 2, 2007 - Supreme Court rules that City of Galveston is immune from
suit by the State. Narrow majority held that the acts of the Legislature (or
rather its failure to grant permission to sue, or waive immunity) controlled
disposition of the question presented, rather than logic. City of Galveston v.
State of Texas, No. 04-0890 (Tex. Mar. 2, 2007)(Opinion by Justice Brister).
Justice Willett and three other justices on the court dissented.

Feb. 21, 2007 - Attorney General Greg Abbott issues opinions on
confidentiality of social security numbers under the Texas Public Information
Act (Open Records Law); Feb 28, 2007 - AG abates enforcement as
implications of ruling for social security numbers contained in millions of
public court records, such as divorce decrees, become clear. Update: Texas
Legislature, which is currently in regular session, passed bill to address the
issue.
 
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This site serves to make
appellate court opinions
more accessible, and to
promote the goal of a
better informed
citizenry. It is not the
official website of the
Texas judiciary nor in
any way endorsed by
the State of Texas. No
warranties for
completeness, accuracy
or timeliness of the
information presented.
Recent Houston Court of Appeals Opinions
RECENT OPINIONS FROM THE HOUSTON COURTS OF APPEALS
HOUSTON CIVIL COURT JUDGES

11         Judge Mark Davidson  
55         Judge Jeff Brown
61         Judge John Donovan
80         Judge Lynn Bradshaw-Hull
113         Judge Patricia Hancock
125         Judge John Coselli
127         Judge Sharolyn Wood
129         Judge Grant Dorfman
133         Judge Lamar McCorkle
151         Judge Caroline E. Baker
152         Judge Kenneth Wise
157         Judge Randall Wilson
164         Judge Martha Hill Jamison
165         Judge Elizabeth Ray
189         Judge Bill Burke
190         Judge Jennifer W. Elrod
215         Judge Levi Benton
234         Judge Reece Rondon
269         Judge John T. Wooldridge
270         Judge Brent Gamble
280         Judge Tony Lindsay
281         Judge David J. Bernal
295         Judge Tracy E. Christopher
333         Judge Joseph James Halbach Jr.
334         Judge Sharon McCally


     Houston Family Courts and
          Family Court Judges

245th District Court     Judge Annette Galik Kuntz
246th District Court     Judge Jim York
247th District Court     Judge Bonnie Crane Hellums
257th District Court     Judge Judy Warne
308th District Court     Judge Georgia Dempster
309th District Court     Judge Frank Rynd
310th District Court     Judge Lisa Millard
311th District Court     Judge Doug Warne
312th District Court     Judge James Squier






Mid-Continent Ins. Co. v. Liberty Mutual Ins. Co., No. 05-0261 (Tex. Oct. 12, 2007)(Wainwright)(dispute between
insurers over responsibility for payment of settlement, certified question from the Fifth Circuit)
In Re U.S. Home Corp, Lennar Corp et al, No. 03-1080 (Tex. Oct. 12, 2007)(per curiam)(arbitration between home
owners and builder compelled, residential construction defect)
In Re Sci Texas Funeral Services, Inc. No. 06-0385 (Tex. Oct. 12, 2007)(per curiam)
(appellate decertification of class action, discovery orders and sanctions)
BFI Waste Systems of North America, Inc. v. North Alamo Water Supply Corp., No. 06-0602 (Tex, Oct. 12,
2007)(per curiam)(settlement agreement)
National Plan Administrators, Inc. v. National Health Ins. Co., No. 05-0006 (Tex. Sep. 28, 2007)(Johnson)
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc. v. Beyer, No. 05-0580 (Tex. Sep. 28, 2007)(Wainwright)(financial services, breach of
contract, joint account with right of survivorship, probate code, attorney's fees)
Texas Parks & Wildlife Dep't v. E.E. Lowrey Realty, Ltd., No. 05-0157 (Tex. Sep. 28, 2007)(per curiam)(sovereign
immunity, official capacity claims, plea to the jurisdiction)
Lamesa ISD v. Booe dba Booe Roofing Co., No. 05-0959 (Tex. Sep. 28, 2007)(per curiam)(sovereign immunity to
contract claims, opportunity to amend, citing Texas A & M University System v. Sefa Koseoglu, following Tooke)
Texas A&M Univ. Sys. vs. Koseoglu, No. 05-0321 (Tex. Sep. 7, 2007)(Green)(public employment, sovereign
immunity, breach of settlement agreement, interlocutory appeal, opportunity to amend)
HEB Ministries, Inc. vs Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, No. 03-0995 (Tex. Aug. 31,
2007)(Hecht)(regulation of religious institutions of higher education unconstitutional under first amendment)
In re Merrill Lynch Trust Co., No. 03-1059 (Tex. Aug 31, 2007)(per curiam)(arbitration mandamus, financial
services)   
Entergy Gulf State, Inc. vs. Summers (Tex. Aug. 31, 2007)(Willett)(premises owner and exclusive remedy defense
under Workers' Compensation Act)    
El Paso Hospital District vs. Texas Health and Human Services Comm'n, No. 05-0372 (Tex. Aug 31,
2007)(Medina)(agency rule making, declaratory judgment)   
HEB Ministries, Inc. vs. Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, No. 03-0995 (Tex. Aug. 31,
2007)(Hecht)(regulation of religious institutions of higher education unconstitutional under first amendment)
In re Merrill Lynch Trust Co., No. 03-1059 (Tex. Aug 31, 2007)(per curiam)(arbitration mandamus, financial
services)    
Entergy Gulf State, Inc. vs. Summers (Tex. Aug. 31, 2007)(Willett)(premises owner and exclusive remedy defense
under Workers' Compensation Act)  
El Paso Hospital District vs. Texas Health and Human Services Comm'n, No. 05-0372 (Tex. Aug 31,
2007)(Medina)(administrative law, agency rulemaking, declaratory judgment)   
Christus Health Gulf Coast vs. Aetna, Inc., No. 05-0710 (Tex., Aug. 31, 2007)(Jefferson)(Medicare reimbursement
suit in state court)   
PHC-Minden LP vs. Kimberly-Clark Corp., No. 05-0823 (Tex. Aug. 31, 2007)(Jefferson)(personal jurisdiction,
special appearance, foreign defendant, minimum contacts)   
Lamar Homes Inc. vs. Mid-Continent Casualty Co., No. 05-0832 (Tex. Aug. 31, 2007)(Medina)(insurers duty to
defend, home construction defect)   
In Re SWBT, No. 05-0951 (Tex. Aug. 31, 2007)(Jefferson)(agency jurisdiction, PUC jurisdiction)
Guevara vs. Ferrer, No. 05-1100 (Tex. Aug. 31, 2007)(Johnson)(auto PI, expert testimony to prove medical
expenses)
Proulx vs. Wells, No. 06-0258 (Tex. Aug 31, 2007)(per curiam)(service of citation, due diligence)
Ford vs. Exxon Mobil Chemical Co., No. 06-0293 (Tex. Aug. 31, 2007)(per curiam)(real estate fraud, limitations)
In re Moore, No. 06-0544 (Tex. Aug. 31, 2007)(per curiam)(SAPCR, nonparents, sanctions)
Stonebridge Life Ins. Co. vs. Pitts, No. 06-0655 (Tex. Aug 31, 2007)(per curiam)(class action, insurance
telemarketing)
In Re H&R Block No. 04-0061 (Tex. Aug. 24, 2007)(per curiam)(arbitration mandamus)
In re Merrill Lynch, No. 04-0865 (Tex. Aug. 24, 2007)(Brister)(arbitration)
Energy Service Co. of Bowie, Inc. vs. Superior Snubbing Services, Inc.,  No. 05-0202 (Tex. Aug. 24,
2007)(Hecht)(worker's comp, indemnity)
Fort Worth I.S.D. vs. Service Employment Redevelopment, No. 05-0427 (Tex. Aug. 24, 2007)(per curiam)(breach
of contract immunity, Tooke vs. City of Mexia)   
Gaines vs. Kelly, No. 05-1092 (Tex. Aug. 24, 2007)(Medina)(lending, apparent authority)
In re Kaplan Higher Educ. Corp., No. 06-0072 (Tex. Aug. 24, 2007)(per curiam)(arbitration mandamus)  
Elledge vs