On Friday, the Texas Supreme Court overturned a jury verdict in favor of the family of a worker who was killed on the job. The case was Port Elevator-Brownsville, L.L.C. v. Casados, et al, ___ S.W.3d ___ (Tex. 2012)(1/27/12). Rafael Casados, the deceased employee, worked for a staffing agency. His employer assigned him to work…
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In a case last month, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that an oil company which substantially underpaid royalty owners would not be liable to them for the difference. The Court criticized the royalty owners for not looking in various public records to discover the oil company’s wrongdoing. The case was Shell Oil Company, et al….
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On January 10, 2012, President Barack Obama announced that longtime immigration reform advocate Cecilia Munoz would be joining the White House as director of the Domestic Policy Council. Munoz is currently serving as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House and has been the main point of contact for the Hispanic community. Prior to…
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In a recent case, the Texas Supreme Court allowed a corporation that lost a jury verdict to appeal its case even though it had missed a deadline to file an appeal. The decision occurred in Ryland Enterprise, Inc. v. Weatherspoon, ___ S.W.3d ___ (Tex. 2011)(12/16/11). In Ryland, after an adverse verdict the corporation filed a…
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With the rapid advances in technology, it’s no surprise that the law has been slow to address the possible reaches these new techniques and devices may have on individuals. However, with United States v. Jones currently pending before the Supreme Court, the law may be close to catching up. The Jones case presents the Court…
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On Thursday, December 8, 2011, the Supreme Court of Texas reviewed proposals for the electronic filing of court papers in the state courts. In federal courts, a system of electronic filing named PACER has existed for years. Under that system, when a party files a pleading with the court electronically, a copy is sent to…
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In a highly anticipated opinion, the Texas Supreme Court upheld the business margins tax that taxed limited partnerships. The tax payers primarly challenged the classification of the tax. Opponents of the law in Allcat Claims Service, L.P. vs. Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, and Greg Abbott, Texas Attorney General, argued the franchise tax on limited…
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A bus driver transporting school band members from Alice on a field trip to Six Flags Fiesta in San Antonio was persistently coughing. It was determined that he had tuberculosis. Subsequently, several of the students were diagnosed with tuberculosis. They then brought a suit against the bus company. Lancer Insurance had issued a business auto…
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