David Yates News
Ninth Court wipes $569K default judgment awarded to Philip Klein
BEAUMONT – The Ninth Court of Appeals has axed a default judgment worth more than half-a-million dollars awarded to area blogger Philip Klein and his company.
Ferguson Law Firm files class action for students hit by Brightwood College’s abrupt closing
BEAUMONT - A nation-wide class action was filed on Dec. 12 in a Beaumont federal court, accusing wide-spread misconduct on the part of multiple entities involved with the abrupt closing of multiple college campuses across the country.
Dozens of companies named in asbestos suit, Provost Umphrey representing plaintiff
BEAUMONT – A recently filed asbestos lawsuit is seeking exemplary damages against dozens of companies.
Provost Umphrey names 30 companies in benzene suit, plaintiffs seek more than $1M in damages
BEAUMONT - More than two-dozen companies have been named as defendants in a benzene lawsuit brought by a Warren couple seeking more than $1 million in damages.
Justices affirm denial of motions to dismiss Harvey inverse condemnation suits against San Jacinto River Authority
HOUSTON – District courts were right to deny motions to dismiss brought by the San Jacinto River Authority in several inverse condemnation cases, according to the First Court of Appeals.
TWIA files jurisdictional plea in JC Harvey suit, argues appraisal is only remedy
BEAUMONT – The Texas Windstorm Association recently filed a plea to the jurisdiction in a Hurricane Harvey lawsuit, arguing appraisal is the only remedy for the plaintiff.
Scott Bailey, Wei Xu join Weil as associates in Dallas office
DALLAS – Scott Bailey and Wei Xu have joined the Dallas office of Weil, Gotshal & Manges as associates in the firm’s Corporate Department.
Houston firefighters accept Tony Buzbee’s offer to mediate Prop B dispute
HOUSTON – The Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association has accepted Tony Buzbee’s no-cost offer to mediate the city of Houston’s dispute with the firefighters.
Sanctions sought: LaBelleCo claims Arnold & Itkins attorney should have known suit was ‘fictitious’
BEAUMONT – Last August, Jake Kemp filed suit against LaBelleCo Fab, seeking more than $1 million in damages for an on-the-job injury.
Settlement reached in JC auto collision lawsuit
BEAUMONT – An automobile collision lawsuit settled before a jury could judge the case.
Texas attorney seeks to dismiss $100M defamation suit, defendant wants $1M in sanctions
EAST TEXAS – Earlier this year, Jason Lee Van Dyke made headlines when he brought a $100 million defamation lawsuit. Now, the attorney wants to dismiss the case because he “lacks the time and resources to continue litigating against a lunatic.”
‘Massive’ judgments earn Texas ‘Dishonorable Mention’ on ‘Judicial Hellhole’ report
WASHINGTON – Once a regular on the list, Texas managed to avoid landing a “Judicial Hellhole’ ranking this year, but did secure a “Dishonorable Mention” for dishing out massive damage awards, including the largest in the nation for 2018.
Provost Umphrey, James Payne hit with $1M legal malpractice suit
BEAUMONT – The Provost Umphrey Law Firm and equity partner James Payne have been hit with a legal malpractice lawsuit seeking more than $1 million in damages.
Justices affirm judgment in ‘Baby Olivia’ lawsuit, find trial court did not err in deeming expert as qualified
BEAUMONT – The Ninth Court of Appeals has affirmed a ruling deeming a medical expert as qualified in the highly publicized “Baby Olivia” case.
Fifth Circuit to determine if Texas anti-SLAPP applies in federal court, dozens of media orgs file brief in support
NEW ORLEANS – Dozens of media organizations, including the American Society of News Editors, have filed a friend of the court brief in a case before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that could determine whether state anti-SLAPP statutes apply in federal court.
Steve Mostyn’s e-signature appears on state document a year after suicide
BEAUMONT – A year after his suicide, the e-signature of John Steven Mostyn has appeared on a document recently filed with the Office of the Secretary of State of Texas.
State rep promising to reform TWIA while also profiting from lawsuits against it
HOUSTON – A video has recently surfaced of a Texas law firm boasting about involving a state representative in litigation against the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association.
Doc, Gulf Coast Cardiology object to expert report in JC med-mal
BEAUMONT – Gulf Coast Cardiology Group and a physician are objecting to an expert report in a medical malpractice lawsuit filed in Jefferson County District Court.
Default judgment sought against PA doc in $1M med-mal
BEAUMONT – A motion for default judgment was recently filed in a medical malpractice lawsuit against two Port Arthur physicians who are accused of failing to perform an adequate tubal ligation.