CIVIL
PPF AMLI SIMOND AVENUE, LLC v. TRAVIS CENTRAL APPRAISAL DISTRICT
CAUSE NO.: D-1-GN-23-007144
JUDGE: MAYA GUERRA GAMBLE, 459th District Court
DATES: Nov. 3-5, 2025
ATTORNEYS:
Plaintiffs: Dan McDonald, McDonald Law Firm, PC (Fort Worth)
Defendant: Mary Sanchez, Evertson & Sanchez, PC (Austin)
Summary: Plaintiff appealed the 2023 tax year assessed value set by the Travis Appraisal Review Board. Ten of the jurors agreed that the equal and uniform value of the subject property, commonly known as AMLI at Mueller as of Jan. 1, 2023, was $78,141,044.
ANYA SABO v. STATE FARM MUTUAL AUSTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
CAUSE NO.: D-1-GN-24-007395
JUDGE: LAURIE EISERLOH, 455th District Court
DATES: Nov. 3-5, 2025
ATTORNEYS:
Plaintiffs: Ben Newman (Austin)
Defendant: J. Hampton Skelton, Skelton and Woody, PLLC (Austin)
Summary: Plaintiff Anya Sabo was involved in an automobile accident in December 2020. The other driver’s policy limit of $300,000 was paid to Plaintiff. The plaintiff had an underinsured policy with State Farm in the amount of $250,000 per person and $10,000 in personal injury protection. A jury of 11 awarded the following damages: Past physical pain and mental anguish - $200,000.00; future physical pain and mental anguish - $1.35 million; past physical impairment - $200,000; future physical impairment - $800,000; past medical care expenses for necessary medical care - $100,000; and future medical care expenses for necessary medical care - $200,000.
CIRILIO SANCHEZ, III v. STEPHANIE SANCHEZ
CAUSE NO: D-1-GN-23-008696
JUDGE: JAN SOIFER, 345th District Court
DATES: Nov. 18-21, 2025
ATTORNEYS:
Plaintiff: Ard Ardalan, Ardalan Law Firm, PLLC (Austin)
Defendants: Michelle Garcia Shaw, Martinez, Dieterich & Zarcone Legal Group (Edinburg)
Summary: In February 2023, Plaintiff claims that Defendant was negligent and caused him injury. The Defendant stated that another vehicle hit her on the driver’s side, which caused her to shift lanes and hit Plaintiff in the rear. 10 of the jurors found that Defendant was not negligent.
ELLA MAE EDWARDS v. ANTONIO RODRIGUEZ GARCIA III, ESTES EXPRESS LINES, DAVID BUSTILLO, SYSCO CENTRAL TEXAS, INC.
CAUSE NO: D-1-GN-23-007458
JUDGE: LAURIE EISERLOH, 455th District Court
DATES: Nov. 18-20, 2025
ATTORNEYS:
Plaintiff: Nicholas J. Coward, Shamieh Law (Dallas)
Defendants: Antonio Rodriguez Garcia, III and Estes Express Lines – Jason E. Kipness, Murphy Legal (College Station)
Sysco Corporation, Sysco Food Services, Inc. and David Bustillo – Justin Click, Hartline Barger, LLP (Houston)
Summary: The lawsuit arises from an accident that occurred in November 2021 when Defendant David Bustillo vehicle struck a drivetrain, which had fallen from an unknown vehicle. Plaintiff then struck the drivetrain, which traveled into her lane, and subsequently, the vehicle operated by Defendant Antonio Rodriguez Garcia, III, struck the rear of Plaintiff’s vehicle. Defendant Bustillo was working for Sysco Central Texas, Inc., and Defendant Garcia was working for Estes Express Lines at the time of the accident. Ten jurors found that Defendant John Doe was 100 percent negligent and found no negligence for Defendants David Bustillo, Antonio Rodriguez Garcia, III, or Plaintiff Ella Mae Edwards. (The court’s charge defined “John Doe” as a fictitious name to refer to the unknown person who left the drivetrain on the road at the time of the incident.)
RICHARD WARTON v. JOHN RISTAINO
CAUSE NO. D-1-GN-23-007030
JUDGE: CATHERINE MAUZY, 419th District Court
DATES: Nov. 17-19, 2025
ATTORNEYS:
Plaintiff: Price Ainsworth, Lorenz & Lorenz, PLLC (Austin)
Defendant: Brett H. Payne, Walters, Balido & Crain, LLP (Austin)
Summary: Plaintiff claimed that he was injured when Defendant negligently merged into Plaintiff’s lane and struck the side of Plaintiff’s vehicle. Agreed motion to dismiss with prejudice was filed after a jury was chosen and the jurors were dismissed prior to receiving the court’s charge.
CRIMINAL
STATE OF TEXAS v. JOSE ANTONIO OLVERA ESCALANTE
CAUSE NO.: C-1-CR-25-207505
JUDGE: DIMPLE MALHOTRA, County Court at Law #4
DATES: Nov 3-4, 2025
ATTORNEYS:
State of Texas: Brooks Lachowsky
Defendant: Alfonso Carlos Hernandez
Summary: Defendant was charged with violation of bond and protective order. The jury found Defendant guilty. Defendant was sentenced to 30 days in county jail.
STATE OF TEXAS v. DANIEL SANCHEZ
CAUSE NO.: D-1-DC-22-900135
JUDGE: KAREN SAGE,299th District Court
DATES: Nov. 3 – 17, 2025
ATTORNEYS:
State of Texas: Rob Drummond
Defendant: William Heilman
Summary: Plaintiff was indicted for knowingly discharging a firearm at or in the direction of one or more individuals. A mistrial was declared after an Allen charge was given.
STATE OF TEXAS v. DELAISHA ABONE-FORCEY
CAUSE NO. C-1-CR-23-501698
JUDGE: CARLOS BARRERA, County Court at Law #8
DATES: Nov. 17 – 20, 2025
ATTORNEYS:
State of Texas: Jonathan Ramirez
Defendant: Mark Hopkins/Benjamin Gergen/Kenavon Tramayne Cater
Summary: Defendant was charged with assault causing bodily injury, alleged to have occurred in May 2023. The jury found Defendant not guilty.
STATE OF TEXAS v. BYRON MINTON
CAUSE NO.: D-1-DC-21-206082
JUDGE:DAYNA BLAZEY, 167th District Court
DATES: Nov. 17–22, 2025
ATTORNEYS:
State of Texas: Amanda McColgan
Defendant: Charles F. Baird
Summary: Defendant was charged with assault by strangulation/suffocation - family Violence (spouse). The jury found Defendant not guilty on the offenses of assault on family/household member by impediment. The court issued an Allen charge for the second count for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and a mistrial was declared.
STATE OF TEXAS v. ROBERTO DIGGS-POWELL
CAUSE NO.: D-1-DC-25-904089
JUDGE: BRAD URRUTIA, 450th District Court
DATES: Nov. 19 - 21, 2025
ATTORNEYS
State of Texas: Kate Hall/Jacob Swaab
Defendant: Michael Thomas Watson (Austin)
Summary: Defendant was arrested and charged with burglary with intent to commit a sexual assault in August 2024. The jury convicted Defendant and sentenced him to 18 years in prison.
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