Texas Governor Abbott names judges for new business courts in Dallas and Fort Worth » Dallas breaks new ground

(Image: Sinisa Vidic/istockphoto)

Texas is changing its judicial landscape with the opening of new specialized business court divisions in September, following the enactment of House Bill 19 last year.

Signed by Governor Greg Abbott in June 2023, the legislation created specialized statewide trial courts to streamline the resolution of commercial disputes. Abbott said the courts would provide an “effective mechanism” for business disputes in Texas.

Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Houston and San Antonio will host the first of 11 new business court divisions across the state.

The five urban center business courts are expected to open in September 2024. According to a press release from the Governor’s Office, the move is expected to ease the burden on traditional courts and expedite litigation throughout the state. A statewide intermediate appellate court, the Austin-based Fifteenth Court of Appeals, which will handle appeals from business courts, will also open in September.

Join 30 other states with specialized business courts

The creation of six additional divisions serving more rural areas of Texas has been deferred to the 2025 Texas Legislature for approval and funding.

Texas thus joins nearly 30 states with specialized courts. Abbott says these new courts will allow Texas to continue to play a leading role in creating a favorable business climate.

The governor and other advocates of the state’s new specialized business court system say it fills a need related to the growing volume and complexity of commercial disputes and could offer more cost-effective dispute resolution to businesses.

Texas Business Courts Jurisdictional Model

The new Texas business courts will have jurisdiction over certain types of complex business disputes, including derivative actions, securities actions, breach of fiduciary duty cases and business transactions where the amount in dispute exceeds specified thresholds – typically $10 million, depending on the type of case. However, courts will not entertain claims for medical malpractice, personal injury, or legal malpractice.

House Bill 19 also included provisions for transferring eligible cases from district or county courts to Texas business courts, helping to ensure that cases benefit from the expertise of business-oriented judges.

“By appointing judges who specialize in commercial law, we can provide a more predictable and efficient process for resolving trade disputes, which is crucial for economic growth,” Governor Abbott said in a statement.

Abbott recently announced the appointment of judges in the Dallas and Fort Worth divisions. The appointments, effective September 1, are for a two-year term, with the possibility of renewal.

Dallas Business Court Appointments

The Dallas Business Court’s First Division will handle cases in Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Kaufman and Rockwall counties. Andrea Bouressa and William “Bill” Whitehill were appointed judges.

Bouressa currently serves as a judge in the 471st Judicial District Court and has been recognized for her contributions to the legal community. Whitehill, appointed alongside Bouressa, is a former judge on the Fifth Court of Appeals of Texas and a member of Condon Tobin Sladek Thornton Nerenberg PLLC.

Fort Worth Business Court Appointments

The Eighth Division of the Fort Worth Business Court will serve the counties of Archer, Clay, Cooke, Denton, Eastland, Erath, Hood, Jack, Johnson, Montague, Palo Pinto, Parker, Somervell, Stephens, Tarrant, Wichita, Wise and Young. . Jerry Bullard and Brian Stagner were appointed judges.

Bullard is a shareholder and attorney at Adams, Lynch & Loftin, PC, bringing more than 30 years of experience litigating in state and federal courts. Stagner is of counsel at Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP and an adjunct professor at Texas Christian University.

These appointments are part of a larger group of judicial appointments to the new Texas business courts in Houston, San Antonio and Austin made by Governor Abbott this month.

Earlier this year, Texas Lawbook noted that at least twenty people had applied to be appointed to the new commercial courts and the 15th Court of Appeals.