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Join AYLA for the October Docket Call!

Sponsored by: Lombardi Lending and Floyd Real Estate

Date: Oct. 17, 2024

Time: 5:30 - 7 p.m.

Location: Verbena Bar, 612 W. 6th St.

Register here.

Texas Debate Collective (TDC) is proud to celebrate its 15th year of service and invites you to celebrate together at a gala dinner. TDC is a nationally recognized non-profit debate institute with the mission of making competitive debate available to everyone. The organization has had broad support from members of the bar, many of whom found their way to legal careers through debate.

The gala celebration will be an opportunity to connect with others who have been impacted by a wonderful and formative activity, and to chart a path for TDC to continue in the face of drastically rising costs for competitive debaters from low-income households. 

Date: Aug. 3, 2024

Time: 7 p.m.

Location: Ben Hur Shriner's Ballroom, 7811 Rockwood Ln, Austin, TX 78757

RSVP and purchase ticket here

Richard LaVallo is the legal director at Disability Rights Texas (DRTx), a nonprofit legal advocacy agency that advocates for and protects the rights of people with disabilities. He has been practicing law as a public interest attorney since 1983 and has extensive experience representing persons with disabilities throughout Texas. Mr. LaVallo earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honors from the University of New Mexico, a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas in Austin, and a Juris Doctor from The University of Texas at Austin School of Law. After law school, he began practicing family law, specializing in defending suits for termination of parental rights as a staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Central Texas. LaVallo has worked at DRTx for more than thirty years, representing people with disabilities in a wide range of individual and systemic cases. He has also worked on numerous legislative and public policy issues dealing with education, mental health, foster care, guardianship, and juvenile justice. Please join us in thanking Richard LaVallo for his many years of serving the underserved and those in our communities who need us the most!

The Austin Bar, Dallas Bar, Houston Bar, San Antonio Bar, and the Tarrant County Bar Association are jointly hosting a FREE virtual CLE. 

Tool Kit for Practicing in the Major Urban Counties in Texas Speakers

Date: Aug. 14

Time: 12 - 1 p.m.

Location: Zoom

MCLE: 1.00

Register here.

Speakers:

Hon. Antonio Arteaga, 57th District Court, Bexar County

Hon. Andrea Bouressa, 471st District Court, Collin County

Hon. Ursula Hall, 165th District Court, Harris County

Hon. Amy Clark Meachum, 201st District Court, Travis County

Hon. Melody Wilkinson, 17th District Court, Tarrant County

Moderator: Hon. Martin Hoffman, 68th District Court, Dallas County

For this month’s focus on Disability Rights, we are excited to spotlight a wonderful disability rights advocate in Kiah N.B. DeBolt. Kiah graduated with her B.S. in Geography-Resource and Environmental Studies from Texas State University in 2015 and obtained her JD from UT School of Law in 2019. During law school, Kiah participated in various pro bono projects through the Mithoff Pro Bono Program, as both a participant and project coordinator. Following law school, Kiah was a 4Girls Foundation Legal Fellow at the SAFE Alliance in Austin. There she represented survivors of family and domestic violence.

Kiah joined Disability Rights Texas (DRTx) as an attorney on the Housing and Transportation team in March 2022. In this role, she most often assists Texans with disabilities who need reasonable accommodations to housing policies, reasonable modifications to the structure of their home, and assistance following discrimination in their housing choice. Thank you, Kiah, for your dedication to vulnerable Texans in our disabled community who need you the most!

Posted by: Billy Huntsman

In the next installment of the Past Presidents Project, the History & Traditions Committee of the Austin Bar Association sits down with Jay Hailey, Austin Bar president for 1980-81. Watch here or click below.

Join the Austin Bar/AYLA's team for the annual CASA Superhero Run!

You can join the team and/or donate here.

Date: Sept. 22, 2024

Time: 7 a.m.

Location: Circuit of the Americas

Posted by: Velva L. Price

CIVIL

CAUSE NO.: D-1-GN-22-004436; MARY HAMMER v. CARL JOSEPH FIELDS

JUDGE: KARIN CRUMP

DATES: July 8 –July 10, 2024

ATTORNEYS:

Plaintiff: Kevin Johnson, KLJ Law PLLC

Defendants: W. Paul Miller/Samantha Jeffers, Germer Beaman & Brown, PLLC

SUMMARY: This is a motor vehicle accident that occurred on or about Oct. 12, 2020. 10 jurors awarded damages – Past physical pain and suffering - $4k, Past medical and necessary medical expenses - $18k, Past/future physical impairment - $0.

CAUSE NO.: D-1-GN-19-001088; MIKE JOHANNS and KATHY JOHANNS v. MACAPSIL REALTY ASSOCIATES, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, D/B/A STORAGE TOWN USA

JUDGE: MADELEINE CONNOR

DATES: July 9 –July 11, 2024

ATTORNEYS:

Plaintiffs: John F. Melton, The Melton Law Firm, PLLC

Defendants: Stephen A. Mitchell

SUMMARY: The Plaintiff claims that the Defendant wrongfully sold property housed in the self-service rental unit. 10 jurors found the Defendant engaged in false, misleading or deceptive acts and such acts were unconscionable but not knowingly. Damages awarded– Reasonable and necessary cost to replace property - $5k, Sentimental value of property - $5k, Value of property - $5k, Attorneys Fees for trial court - $19,488.00,

CAUSE NO.: D-1-GN-20-007621; FRENRICK LAMONT CATHEY et. al. v. KALAHARI RESORTS, MARIO MARTINEZ BUENROSTRO, SR. et. al.

JUDGE: CATHERINE MAUZY

DATES: July 9 – July 16, 2024

ATTORNEYS:

Plaintiff: Travis E. Venable, Thomas J. Henry Injury Attorneys

Defendants: Efrain Cantu/Zach Mayer, Mayer LLP, Trey Laidlaw/Brent Anderson, Taylor Anderson, LLP

SUMMARY: This is a wrongful death case. The Plaintiffs petition states that they were pedestrians working in a construction zone replacing a damaged guardrail on Mopac and were struck by a drunken driver who was working for Kalahari Resorts as a bartender. [Case settled prior to verdict.]

CAUSE NO.: D-1-GN-19-006807; AUSTIN ARNOLD v. OMNI HOTELS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION

JUDGE: DANIELLA DESETA LYTTLE

DATES: July 9–July 18, 2024

ATTORNEYS:

Plaintiff: Robert Melendez, Melendez Law Firm, PLLC

Defendants: B. Kyle Briscoe, Peavler/Briscoe and Brian S. Rawson, Rawson Law PLLC

SUMMARY: The Plaintiff claims that on or around Feb. 18, 2018, a golf cart he was driving locked up and threw him to the ground and the golf cart crushed him. 10 jurors found that the Defendant was 100% responsible and awarded damages – Future medical expenses - $2,367,000, Past physical pain and mental anguish - $125,000, Future physical pain and mental anguish - $650,000, Past physical impairment - $3,700 and future physical impairment - $21,300.

CAUSE NO.: D-1-FM-23-01227; IMMO DANIEL URBAN and VICTORIA VAN BUREN

JUDGE: AMY CLARK MEACHUM

DATES: July 22 –July 24, 2024

ATTORNEYS:

Petitioner, Daniel Urban: Christopher Kirker

Respondent Victoria Vanburen: Scott Dalrymple, Law office of Willie and Dasher

SUMMARY: 10 jurors found that grounds exist for the annulment of a marriage. [Respondent represented herself until July 26, 2024.]

CAUSE NO.: D-1-GN-22-006008; LEE ROY SALINAS and VIVIANA FRONTINO v. TAVERA YAHIR

JUDGE: CATHERINE MAUZY

DATES: July 22–July 25, 2024

ATTORNEYS:

Plaintiffs: Christine Londergan/Charles Dunn

Defendant: Natalie Nicole Garcia, Martinez, Dieterich & Zarcone Legal Group

SUMMARY: This is a motor vehicle accident that occurred on or around May 26, 2022. 11 jurors awarded damages – Lee Roy Salinas: Past medical care expenses - $31,369.50 and $0.00 for all other damages; Viviana Frontino: Past medical care expenses - $17,624.81 and $0.00 for all other damages.

CAUSE NO.: D-1-GN-17-003747; KRYSTLE HERNANDEZ v. 80th GROUP LLC d/b/a CONCRETE COWBOW ET. AL.

JUDGE: JAN SOIFER

DATES: July 23–July 26, 2024

ATTORNEYS:

Plaintiff: Daniel Sheppard, Morrow & Sheppard

Defendant: Ryan M. Owen, Thompson, Coe, Cousins & Irons, LLP

SUMMARY: On or around June 24, 2017, Plaintiff claims that she was injured when she fell from the 2nd floor of a building due to the Defendant’s negligence.

The Defendant was found negligent, and 10 jurors awarded – Past physical pain - $75,000, Future physical pain - $520,000, Past mental anguish - $75,000, Future mental anguish - $75,000, Past disfigurement - $1,500, Future disfigurement - $3,000, Past Physical impairment - $65,000, Future physical impairment - $250,000, Past medical care expenses - $62,025.32, Future reasonable expenses of necessary medical care - $300,000.

CRIMINAL

CAUSE NO.: D-1-DC-21-302187; STATE OF TEXAS v. NORA LOPEZ

JUDGE: MELISSA GOODWIN

DATES: June 24-July 10, 2024

ATTORNEYS:

State of Texas: Jean Sullivan/Guillermo Gonzalez

Defendant: Laurie Drymalla/Douglas O’Connell/Jessica Freud

SUMMARY: This is the ‘bounce house’ case. The Defendant was convicted of murder and sentenced to 10 years. In addition, the jury found that the Defendant did not prove sudden passion by a preponderance of the evidence.

CAUSE NO.: D-1-DC-23-904032; STATE OF TEXAS v. RIESE PANTER

JUDGE: JULIE KOCUREK

DATES: July 8 – 11, 2024

ATTORNEYS:

State of Texas: Andrea Richter

Defendant: Amber Vazquez

SUMMARY: The jury found the Defendant not guilty of the offense of sexual assault.

CAUSE NO.: D-1-DC-23-203069; STATE OF TEXAS v. DENIS RAMIREZ-BARAHONA

JUDGE: CHANTAL ELDRIDGE

DATES: July 15 – 17, 2024

ATTORNEYS:

State of Texas: Jamie Liu

Defendant: Raymond Esperson

SUMMARY: The jury found the Defendant not guilty of the offense of aggravated sexual assault, guilty of offense of sexual assault as a lesser included offense and guilty of prohibited sexual conduct. Defendant was sentenced to 20 years.

CAUSE NO.: D-1-DC-22-500165; STATE OF TEXAS v. ELLIOTT HORN

JUDGE: MIKE DENTON

DATES: July 16 – 18, 2024

ATTORNEYS:

State of Texas: Yasmeen Aboellhasan

Defendant: Lance N. Stott

SUMMARY: The jury found the Defendant not guilty of the offense of sexual assault of a child.

CAUSE NO.: D-1-DC-24-904039; STATE OF TEXAS v. DENZEL HARDMAN

JUDGE: Selena Alvarenga

DATES: July 29 – August 1, 2024

ATTORNEYS:

State of Texas: Habon Mohamed

Defendant: Justin Fischer, Dunham and Jones, P.C.

SUMMARY: Jury found the Defendant guilty of the offense of Aggravated Assault in which the Defendant intentionally, knowingly and recklessly cause bodily injury to victim by shotting the victim and use and exhibit a firearm and not guilty of the offense of Aggravated Assault in which the Defendant intentionally and knowingly threaten the victim with imminent bodily injury and exhibit a firearm during the commission of the said assault. The jury also assessed a 5-year prison term but suspended the sentence and the Defendant was placed on community service because the Defendant had never been convicted on a felony.

CAUSE NO.: D-1-DC-20-600051; STATE OF TEXAS v. KENDRIC KNATTE

JUDGE: Brenda Kennedy

DATES: July 29 – Aug. 2, 2024

ATTORNEYS:

State of Texas: Victor Erbring

Defendant: Rick Cofer, Cofer & Connelly, PLLC

SUMMARY: Defendant was found guilty of the offense of tampering with evidence but a mistrial was granted on the charge of murder.

SUPPLEMENTAL MAY JURY TRIAL:

CAUSE NO.: ANTONIO MONROE v. JD ABRAMS, L.P., JORGE A. SANTANA, SR., & JORGE A. SANTANA, JR.

JUDGE: JAN SOIFER

DATES: May 13 – 21, 2024

ATTORNEYS:

Plaintiff: Jack Morrison, Thomas J. Henry Law, PLLC

Defendants: Rodney Geer, Fee, Smith & Sharp, LLP

SUMMARY: Plaintiff claims he was injured due to his vehicle being struck with electric or utility wiring from roadside construction. Jurors found that the Defendants Jorge Santana Sr. was 5% and JD Abrams, LP was 95% negligent. 10 jurors awarded damages as follows: Past physical pain and mental anguish - $50,000, Future physical pain and mental anguish - $10,000, Past loss of earning capacity - $12,096, Past medical expenses - $36,047 and Future medical expenses - $5,000.

The LGBTQ+ Law Section of the Austin Bar cordially invites you to march in the Austin Pride Parade with us!

Date: Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024

Time: 8 p.m. (Parade begins) (To march with us, please arrive no later than 7:30)

Location: Spot Number 45, San Jacinto and 15th

Wear your most colorful and festive attire!

For more information and to register, click here

Summer law clerks and interns are invited to a tour of the new complex of the Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility. After the tour, attendees will get the opportunity to observe a jury trial.

Date: July 24, 2024

Time: 1 p.m.

Location: CFCF, 1700 Guadalupe

SPACE IS LIMITED. You must RSVP by e-mailing delaine@austinbar.org.


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