The Difference between a Rule of Interpretation and a Canon of Construction
One evening, sitting by the fireplace, sipping on a cup of hot coco, I found myself musing on the subject of contract interpretation. I was pondering various active cases and my fading memory of my first year of law school when I had two revelations: 1) I am getting old,…
2015 is “in the books” — is it in your corporate books?
An out-of-date corporate book can cause unexpected legal problems! It is important to keep your entity’s books up-to-date and to ensure compliance with the Texas Secretary of State’s Office and the Texas Comptroller’s Office. Here are some common issues in need of updates: Did your entity hold its required annual…
The Eagle Has Landed
There is nothing like Fall football, especially in Texas. As a native Texan, one of my favorite sayings is “everything is bigger and better in Texas.” The Allen football stadium is no exception. Last year, deficiencies were discovered that resulted in the closure of Allen’s $60 million Eagle Stadium. Since…
Thanksgiving Jurisprudence
While few lawyers are filing lawsuits the week before Thanksgiving, the holiday does give rise to some interesting cases. I have compiled a small list of interesting legal entanglements that reference Thanksgiving in one shape or form. Whether you will laugh or cringe, I am not quite sure, but here…
AMENDMENTS TO TEXAS HOA LAW FINALLY GIVE HOMEOWNERS A STICK TO FIGHT BACK WITH
Recent changes in the law finally give Texas homeowners a stick to fight back against abusive practices by Texas homeowners associations. If you are reading this, you’ve no doubt heard of HOA horror stories. Perhaps you’ve been a victim of HOA harassment or bullying. HOAs are not regulated by the…
Legal (and Common Sense) Advice for Halloween
With Halloween just around the corner, it seems only fitting that it should be the topic of this week’s blog post. While you are decorating your house, carving your pumpkins, and picking out your costumes, you might not be thinking about avoiding legal entanglements that may result from the celebration. …
Emails Can Create Enforceable Contracts
Email has become the standard form of written communication in the business world. It should come as no surprise that the laws have adapted to accommodate this new age of electronic communication. We routinely enter into contracts while shopping online, but the formality of the experience leaves little question…
HOA Horror Stories
Ahh, HOA’s. You either love ‘em or you hate ‘em. And those who hate ‘em usually have a good reason. Maybe the HOA is on their case about a fence needing repair. Maybe it’s that dues haven’t been paid on time and the HOA is threatening foreclosure (yes, strange as…
New Laws of Interest
The 2015 Texas Legislature did a lot of good work during the 84th Legislative Session. Many of the most notable bills passed involved the budget, tax cuts, education and transportation. If you are the typical Texan, you will likely acknowledge that these laws are important and that they will ultimately…
The Last Out: Coach is “SLAPPED” for suing baseball volunteers.
The last “out” was just made in our baseball anti-slapp case where a coach sued another coach and the president of the league for “ruining his reputation” stemming from events at a 7 year old’s baseball game (see prior entries here and here). After appeal, and reversal, the Trial…