By JD Reed – Most Americans are aware that interest rates started to dramatically rise commencing in March 2022. Regardless, Texas’ post-judgment and pre-judgment interest rate on judgment awards remained at five percent (5.00%), until now. The New Interest Increase Takes Effect August 1, 2023 On July 19, 2023, the Consumer Credit Commissioner of Texas …
By Ron Holmes 1, a Member of the Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States – At the end of June, the Supreme Court announced decisions related to race-based college admissions, student debt relief, and several other topics. The following is an apolitical summary of the Court’s holding and reasoning for three of …
By JD Reed – Texas is Popular If it wasn’t already apparent, large corporate businesses are flocking to Texas. Texas district and county courts have become clogged with personal injury and low-stakes lawsuits. As a result, judges in county and district courts are bombarded with personal injury and similar cases, and thus, sometimes do not …
By Vishal J. Patel – When forming a new entity, business owners are often keen on the idea of forming a Limited Liability Company (“LLC”). With its limited liability for owners, pass-through of income and flexibility to choose method of taxation – it’s the most ideal choice for new business owners. Benefits to LLCs electing …
By Austin Gilleland – House Bill 14 has passed with one goal – to streamline the real estate development process in Texas. Below are some of the more substantive revisions that apply to development documents submitted on or after September 1, 2023. A new “shot clock” for municipalities. Most development permits must be turned by …
With rising property taxes in Texas, especially in the DFW area, everyone is wondering how to decrease their property taxes. On numerous occasions, Texas politicians have stated that cutting property taxes would be top priority. So much so that the Texas legislature set aside $17.6 billion from the state’s budget for property tax relief. The …
By Jonathan P. Hernon – On June 23, 2023, the Texas Supreme Court (“TSC”) ruled the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (“ERCOT”) is granted sovereign immunity related to suits from the 2021 winter storms in Texas. The majority unpublished opinion, located on txcourts.gov., which was delivered by Chief Justice Nathan Hecht, stated in part that ERCOT …
By Taylor Bell – While workers are major assets to a business, they can also become major liabilities. To mitigate risks, businesses often rely on non-compete agreements, non-disclosure agreements, non-solicitation agreements, and confidentiality agreements. However, the permissible scope of these agreements is limited by state laws, and courts often view them skeptically. In recent years, …
By Sean Scribner – As anyone who has attempted to obtain discovery from an out-of-state (foreign) individual or entity can attest, navigating the process can be a daunting, cumbersome endeavor. However, if the state from where the discovery is being sought has adopted the Uniform Interstate Depositions and Discovery Act (the “UIDDA”) the process will …
By Ron Holmes – Yes, the capital markets for larger real estate transactions appear to be a bit sleepy. This year we have not seen financing for many large-scale transactions, but the appetite for $20 million and under transactions has been steady. I don’t have a crystal ball, so your guess as to the future …