David Yates News
AG Paxton leads 15-state coalition in support of revised immigration order
AUSTIN – On April 10, Attorney General Ken Paxton led a coalition of 15 states in filing an amicus brief with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals defending President Trump’s revised immigration order.
Jury selection starts in civil trial over Applebee’s host stepping on customer’s foot
BEAUMONT – Jury selection began Monday in a lawsuit brought by Carolyn Rhymes, who claims an Applebee’s host, while taking a step backwards, incidentally stepped on her foot, causing her to loose her balance and land on her butt.
Tort reform remains a unifier for Texas Republicans, party leader says hail litigation worst abuse in state today
AUSTIN – Since 2003, there’s been at least one issue nearly all Texas Republicans could unite behind – tort reform.
AG Paxton: Suspension of BLM Red River surveys is a win for Texas
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton is praising the Trump administration for suspending three U.S.
Ninth Court dismisses inmate’s appeal, ending suit against Beaumont PD
BEAUMONT – On April 6 the Ninth Court of Appeals granted the Beaumont Police Department’s motion to dismiss an inmate’s appeal for lack of jurisdiction.
Abbott, Paxton call for prompt passage of the Free Speech Fairness Act
AUSTIN – In a letter to congressional leaders, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Governor Greg Abbott called for swift passage of the Free Speech Fairness Act (H.R.
AG Paxton files amicus brief to protect pregnancy center’s free speech
Austin – Attorney General Ken Paxton has joined a 10-state amicus brief urging a federal appeals court to support a religious organization’s right to freedom to speak about and offer alternatives to abortion.
Baron & Budd attorneys named Best Lawyers in America 2017 recipients
DALLAS – On April 4, the national law firm of Baron & Budd announced attorneys Russell Budd, Scott Summy and Roland Tellis have been named to the Best Lawyers in America 2017 list. The three shareholders were also named to the list in 2016.
West Orange Cove ISD sued over bus crash
BEAUMONT – A lawsuit seeking up to $200,000 in damages has been brought against West Orange Cove Independent School District for a bus crash that happen two years ago.
Texas House Insurance Committee advances hailstorm lawsuit bill
AUSTIN – On April 4, the Texas House Insurance Committee advanced House Bill 1774, a consumer protection bill that implements what one group is calling “common-sense accountability measures to stop rampant weather-related lawsuit abuse, while preserving the strongest protections in the nation for property insurance consumers.”
Final judgment of $665K entered in Hidalgo County hail trial
McALLEN – A final judgment of more than $665,000 has been entered in a Hidalgo County hail lawsuit – a far cry from the $1.8 million in damages originally awarded by the jury.
TWIA, Mostyn Law lock horns over outcome of Rita trial – insurer says firm ‘simultaneously’ filed suit with ‘excessive’ pre-suit demand
BEAUMONT – While the trial of the last remaining Hurricane Rita lawsuit may be in books, the case is far from over – as Mostyn Law and the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association recently filed contrasting motions for entry of final judgment.
$1M suit brought over 2015 San Marcos school bus crash
SAN MARCOS - A guardian of one of the children injured in the 2015 bus collision in San Marcos has filed suit against the individual who allegedly caused the crash and the man’s employer.
Ninth Court axes paraplegic’s med-mal against Christus, Healthsouth
BEAUMONT – The Ninth Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court’s ruling denying a pair of medical providers’ objections to expert reports.
Mostyn Law calls out storm chasers, despite evidence showing firm trolls for hail clients
AUSTIN – During a recent hearing on the hailstorm lawsuit abuse bill, Mostyn Law’s head of litigation told members of the Texas House Insurance Committee that nobody, even her law firm, likes storm-chasing attorneys.
Texas House hears testimony on hailstorm bill
BEAUMONT – On March 28, the Texas House Insurance Committee heard testimony on what has been dubbed the hailstorm lawsuit abuse bill – a piece of legislation, depending on who you talk to, aimed at either ending a civil crisis or giving insurers immunity from civil suits.
Hail attorneys sued for suing wrong adjuster, twice – expert calls it the ‘sue now investigate never’ approach
DALLAS – Since 2012, hundreds to thousands of lawsuits are filed after every hailstorm strike within the state of Texas, naming countless insurers, agents and adjusters as defendants.
AG Paxton: 5th Circuit’s ruling preserves Texas’ stay of EPA Regional Haze Rule
AUSTIN –On March 23, Attorney General Ken Paxton praised a ruling by the 5th U.S.
Ninth Court dismisses most of injury claim brought against Port of Beaumont
BEAUMONT – Justices on the Ninth Court of Appeals have determined the Port of Beaumont Navigation District of Jefferson County has governmental immunity from an injury suit, dismissing most of the claims but allowing the plaintiff to re-plead one.
Provost Umphrey wants Leger’s $1M defamation claim arbitrated
BEAUMONT – The Provost Umphrey Law Firm wants a defamation lawsuit brought by a former firm attorney out of the courts and in the office of an arbitrator.