Thank you to Travis County District Clerk Velva Price for providing the following summaries of October jury trial verdicts. For edits, please email billy@austinbar.org.
CIVIL
ALTA MENSA, LLC d/b/a ALTA TOWERS ADVISORS and ANDREI DUTA v. ZEEP, INC.
Cause No.: D-1-GN-23-000306
Judge: Catherine Mauzy, 419th District Court
Dates: Oct. 6-8, 2025
Attorneys:
Plaintiffs: Russell Horton, George Brothers Kincaid & Horton, LLP (Austin)
Defendant: Adam Schiffer, Brown Rudnick, LLP (Houston)
Summary: Plaintiffs sued Zeep, Inc., claiming breach of contract arising out of a broker agreement. Plaintiffs claimed that despite identifying a buyer, Defendant refused to pay the contractually obligated success fee to Plaintiffs. A unanimous jury found that the defendant failed to comply with the agreement. (The defendant stipulated to damages prior to the jury trial.)
ARIELLE CARRARA v. RONALD J. MARBLE, IND. and PROGRESSIVE COUNTY MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY
Cause No: C-1-CV-21-004574
Judge: Todd Wong, County Court at Law #1
Dates: Oct. 20-21, 2025
Attorneys:
Plaintiff: Jose A. Chapa, Jr., Jose A. Chapa Law Firm, PLLC (McAllen)
Defendants: Progressive-Brett Payne, Walters, Balido & Crain, LLP (Austin)
Summary: On or about June 2020, Plaintiff was rear-ended by the defendant, Ronald Marble, after she stopped at a red light. A unanimous jury awarded the following damages: Past physical pain - $10,000; future physical pain - $0; past physical impairment - $0; future physical impairment - $0; past reasonable expenses of necessary medical care - $37,441.92; past mental anguish - $0; future mental anguish - $0. (Plaintiff had settled with Defendant Marble. Defendant Progressive was dismissed after the jury verdict because the plaintiff’s total damages did not exceed the settlement credit of $100,000.)
IN RE COMMITMENT OF MICHAEL BRUCE ORTEGA
Cause No.: D-1-GN-24-009741
Judge: Bob Perkins, 390th District Court
Dates: Oct. 20-23, 2025
Attorneys:
State of Texas: Sarah Waller, Special Prosecution Unit (Huntsville)
Defendant: Ugochukwu Olike, State Counsel for Offenders (Conroe)
Summary: State of Texas filed a civil commitment action pursuant to Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 841 against Michael Ortega, requesting that he be found to be a sexually violent predator and committed for treatment and supervision. The jury found beyond a reasonable doubt that Michael Ortega was a sexually violent predator.
CRIMINAL
STATE OF TEXAS v. JULIAN CALDWELL
Cause No.: C-1-CR-25-206013
Judge: Kim Williams, County Court at Law #9
Dates: Oct. 6-7, 2025
Attorneys:
State of Texas: Bailee Beilman
Defendant: George Lobb (Austin)
Summary: The state charged the defendant, by information, with making a terroristic threat to cause fear of imminent bodily injury. The jury found the defendant not guilty.
STATE OF TEXAS v. BRANDON ANTHONY DONALD
Cause No.: D-1-DC-24-204321
Judge: Melissa Goodwin (Visiting Judge), 147th District Court
Dates: Oct. 6 - 9, 2025
Attorneys:
State of Texas: Clayton Myers
Defendant: Michael Watson (Austin)
Summary: The defendant was indicted for committing the offense of assault/aggravated assault by intentionally, recklessly, and knowingly causing bodily injury to the victim by shooting the victim in the chest and legs with a deadly weapon. The defendant asserted justification by self-defense. After an Allen charge was issued, a mistrial was declared.
STATE OF TEXAS v. JENNER RAMIREZ
Cause No.: D-1-DC-25-904083
Judge: Chantal Eldridge, 331st District Court
Dates: Oct. 6 - 9, 2025
Attorneys:
State of Texas: Cindy A. Izquierdo/John Castro
Defendant: Raymond Espersen (Austin)
Summary: The defendant was indicted for the offenses of sexual abuse of a child victim under 14, indecency with a child - sexual contact, and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The defendant was convicted of two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of indecency of a child by contact. The defendant was found not guilty on a separate count of indecency with a child by contact. The jury sentenced the defendant to 99 years for each of the aggravated sexual assault of a child convictions and 15 years for the indecency with a child by contact conviction and fines that total $30,000. (The sentences will run concurrently.)
STATE OF TEXAS v. DOMINIQUE DEVON SMITH
Cause No.: C-1-CR-24-203059
Judge: Dimple Malhotra, County Court at Law #4
Dates: Oct. 8, 2025
Attorneys:
State of Texas: Sarah Eberhardt
Defendant: Evan Snyder (Austin)
Summary: The state charged the defendant, by information, with assault - family violence. The jury found the defendant not guilty.
STATE OF TEXAS v. JUAN RIOJAS, JR.
Cause No.: D-1-DC-25-904014
Judge: Chantal Eldridge, 331st District Court
Dates: Oct. 20 - 23, 2025
Attorneys:
State of Texas: Jacob David Swaab
Defendant: Jason Katims (Austin)
Summary: The defendant was charged with two counts of sexual assault, two counts of attempted sexual assault, and one count of prohibited sexual conduct. The jury acquitted the defendant of all the counts.
STATE OF TEXAS v. MARILI GARCIA-RAMIREZ
Cause No.: C-1-CR-22-201254
Judge: Carlos Barrera, County Court at Law #8
Dates: Oct. 20-23, 2025
Attorneys:
State of Texas: Devin Faick
Defendant: Charles Baird (Austin)
Summary: The state charged the defendant, by information, with driving while intoxicated. The jury found the defendant guilty. The court assessed a fine of $2,000 and 180 days confinement in Travis County Correctional Center.
STATE OF TEXAS v. TODD HUNTER PERKINS
Cause No.: C-1-CR-24-202518
Judge: Elisabeth Earle, County Court at Law #7
Dates: Oct. 21-22, 2025
Attorneys:
State of Texas: Kim Hidrogo
Defendant: Kenneth Gibson
Summary: The state charged the defendant, by information, with driving while intoxicated. The jury found the defendant not guilty.
STATE OF TEXAS v. GEORGE JOHNSON
Cause No.: D-1-DC-23-904027
Judge: Mike Denton (Visiting Judge), 167th District Court
Dates: Oct. 27 - 29, 2025
Attorneys:
State of Texas: Dominic Selvera
Defendant: Charles Arnone (Austin)
Summary: The defendant was indicted for two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, with an allegation that the victim was selected due to the defendant’s bias against a group identified by sexual preference. The press release issued by the Travis County District Attorney stated that the defendant approached the victim on a public bus with a box cutter in his hand, slapped the victim in the face, and made derogatory and homophobic comments to the victim. The jury found the defendant guilty for two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and that the defendant intentionally selected the victim because of the defendant’s bias/prejudice against a group identified by sexual preference. The court sentenced the defendant to serve five years for each count to be served concurrently.
STATE OF TEXAS V. GARY CHANDLER
Cause No.: C-1-CR-25-209825
Judge: Kim Williams, County Court at Law #9
Dates: Oct. 28, 2025
Attorneys:
State of Texas: Bailee Beilman
Defendant: Peter Davis Reed (Austin)
Summary: The state charged the defendant, by information, with making a terroristic threat to cause fear of imminent bodily injury. The jury found the defendant guilty. The court assessed 145 days of confinement in Travis County Correctional Center.
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