The following are summaries of selected civil opinions issued by the Fifth Circuit in June 2024. The summaries are overviews of particular aspects of the opinions; please review the entire opinions. CONTRACTS: Force majeure provision in natural gas supply contract did not require showing that performance is impossible. MIECO, LLC v. Pioneer Nat. Res. USA, 2024 WL 3418718 (5th Cir.

The following are summaries of selected civil opinions issued by the Third Court of Appeals during June and July 2024. The summaries are overviews; please review the entire opinions. Subsequent histories are current as of Aug. 12, 2024.  FAMILY LAW: Court grants mandamus relief in contempt proceeding. In re Kozinn, No. 03-23-00748-CV (Tex. App.—Austin June 6, 2024, orig. proceeding) (mem.

The following is a summary of a selected criminal opinion issued by the Third Court of Appeals in January 2024. The summary is an overview; please review the entire opinion. Subsequent history is current as of Aug. 6, 2024. TRIAL TESTIMONY — LICENSING STATUS OF WITNESS, RELIABILITY OF WITNESS, RELIABILITY OF OUTCRY WITNESSS, AND “BACKDOOR HEARSAY”: Trial court did not

Editor’s Note: A monthly update on jury trials in Travis County will also be circulated in Bar Code and posted on the Austin Bar app. CIVIL City Of Austin v. Laszlo Herczeg Cause No.: C-1-Cv-20-003717 Judge: Eric Shepperd Dates: June 3-4, 2024 Attorneys: Plaintiff: Phillip B. Arnold, Bickerstaff, Heath, Delgado, Acosta LLP Defendant: Laslo Herczeg, Pro Se Case Summary: Five jurors awarded

The Austin Police Department (APD) has launched a new website to publish data related to policing activities in the Austin metropolitan area. APD’s Open Policing Data Release project was ordered by the Austin City Council’s Resolution 20230914-132, which was passed in September 2023.

Mary-Ellen King is a partner at Lucosky Brookman LLP, where her practice focuses primarily on complex insurance coverage litigation, commercial litigation, business litigation, general civil litigation, and real estate litigation.  King takes the reins as president of the Austin Bar on July 1, 2024. Austin Lawyer recently interviewed her about her plans for the upcoming bar year. AL:  What are

Emily Morris is corporate counsel at PowerSchool, which develops educational software for school systems. Morris is a graduate of Tulane University Law School and received her bachelor’s in marketing from Louisiana State University. During her time there, she also attended the University of Copenhagen to study international corporate law. Morris is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Texas

The following are summaries of selected civil opinions issued by the Fifth Circuit in May 2024. The summaries are overviews of particular aspects of the opinions; please review the entire opinions. JURISDICTION: Upon removal on the basis of improper joinder, plaintiff may clarify allegations to satisfy federal pleading standards; erroneous finding of improper joinder was not cured prior to judgment,

The following are summaries of selected civil opinions issued by the Third Court of Appeals during May 2024. The summaries are overviews of particular aspects of the opinions; please review the entire opinions.Subsequent histories are current as of June 11, 2024. MANDAMUS: Court grants relief where trial court denied objection to associate judge referral.  In re Laurie, No. 03-24-00124-CV (Tex.

The following is a summary of a selected criminal opinion issued by the Third Court of Appeals in December 2023. The summary is an overview; please review the entire opinion. The subsequent history is current as of June 3, 2024. AGGRAVATED ROBBERY—EVIDENTIARY SUFFICIENCY AND LESSER-INCLUDED OFFENSE: Evidence was sufficient to prove that defendant committed aggravated robbery, and defendant was not