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Appellate Review
Fifteenth Court of Appeals decisions reviewing the Texas Business Court
Chief Justice Brister Dissents on Transferred-Case Review Standards and Plenary Power in Business Court Appeal
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
In a dissenting memorandum opinion from the Fifteenth Court of Appeals reviewing a temporary injunction bond dispute transferred from district court to the Business Court, Chief Justice Brister argued that appellate review cannot be split between pre-transfer and post-transfer rulings and that the Business Court need not formally adopt previous orders to exercise plenary power over them. Brister would have declined to remand for further proceedings given an imminent trial date of December 8, 2025, arguing the case should simply proceed to trial.
Appellant's Voluntary Dismissal of Interlocutory Appeal Highlights Strategic Considerations in Business Court Appeals
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
In Buc-ee's, Ltd. v. Head Country, LLC, the Fifteenth Court of Appeals granted Buc-ee's motion to dismiss its own interlocutory appeal from Business Court Division 11A of Harris County under Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure 42.1(a)(1) and 43.2(f). The November 18, 2025 memorandum opinion represents one of the earliest appellate filings from the new Texas Business Court system, showing that voluntary dismissal procedures apply to Business Court interlocutory appeals.
Fifteenth Court of Appeals Denies Mandamus Challenging Business Court Discovery Order in Commercial Real Estate Finance Dispute
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals denied a mandamus petition filed by Silver Star Properties REIT, Inc. and three affiliated LLCs seeking to overturn an August 11, 2025 order by Judge Brian Stagner of Business Court Division 8B in Tarrant County. The court held that relators failed to establish entitlement to mandamus relief and denied their accompanying emergency stay motion, leaving Judge Stagner's order intact.
Interlocutory Appeal of Special Appearance Order Dismissed After Merger into Final Judgment
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals dismissed an interlocutory appeal by Primexx Energy Opportunity Fund entities challenging a Business Court order granting special appearances after the appellants notified the court that the interlocutory order had merged into a final judgment now subject to separate appeal under cause No. 15-25-00120-CV. The dismissal illustrates the application of merger doctrine when a trial court renders final judgment while an interlocutory appeal remains pending.
Business Court Remand Orders Are Not Immediately Appealable, Fifteenth Court Holds
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals dismissed ETC Field Services' direct appeal from a Business Court remand order, holding that no statute authorizes interlocutory appeal of such orders and that remand orders are not final judgments. The court noted that a 2021 business court bill expressly authorized interlocutory appeals from remand orders but the enacted Chapter 25A omitted that provision, and the Legislature clearly knew how to draft such authorization but chose not to do so.
Fifteenth Court of Appeals Denies Mandamus Relief in Socket Solutions, Lifting Administrative Stay on Business Court Proceedings
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals denied Socket Solutions, LLC's petition for writ of mandamus in an original proceeding arising from Business Court Division 11B of Harris County, dismissing the relator's emergency temporary relief request as moot and lifting an administrative stay that had been in place since May 15, 2026. The terse memorandum opinion provides no substantive analysis, offering no insight into the nature of the dispute or the grounds for denial.
Energy Transfer and Culberson Midstream Parties Jointly Dismiss First Appellate Challenge to Business Court Division 1B
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals granted a joint motion to dismiss the appeal in Energy Transfer LP v. Culberson Midstream LLC, an early case from the Texas Business Court Division 1B. The February 6, 2025 memorandum opinion provides no substantive analysis, with the parties invoking Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 42.1 to terminate the appeal by agreement.
Fifteenth Court of Appeals Denies Mandamus Relief in Socket Solutions Merger Successor Dispute
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals denied mandamus relief to Socket Solutions, LLC, as successor by merger to SS Newco-1 LLC, in an original proceeding challenging a ruling from Business Court Division 11B of Harris County. The per curiam memorandum opinion provides no reasoning for the denial, leaving the underlying Business Court order intact.
Fifteenth Court of Appeals Denies Mandamus Challenging Business Court Trial Setting in Minerals Dispute
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals denied a mandamus petition filed by Nicholas Kreines, David P. Ryan, and Liberty Mineral Partners LLC seeking to set aside Business Court Division 3B Judge Patrick K. Sweeten's January 29, 2026 order in ES3 Minerals, LLC v. Kreines. The court held that relators failed to establish entitlement to mandamus relief and denied their emergency motion to stay trial commencement.
Voluntary Dismissal Terminates Early Business Court Appeal in NGL Water Solutions v. Lime Rock
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals granted NGL Water Solutions Permian, LLC's unopposed request for voluntary dismissal, terminating appeal No. 15-25-00098-CV from Business Court Division 11B in Harris County. The November 18, 2025 memorandum opinion dismissed the appeal under Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure 42.1(a)(1) and 43.2(f) without reaching the merits of the underlying dispute with Lime Rock Resources entities.
Fifteenth Court of Appeals Denies Mandamus Challenging Business Court Order in Foundation Dispute
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals denied a mandamus petition filed by three Highland foundations seeking to overturn a September 18, 2025 order issued by Judge William Whitehill of Business Court Division 1B in Dallas County. The per curiam opinion, issued by a panel consisting of Chief Justice Brister and Justices Field and Farris, held that relators failed to establish entitlement to mandamus relief in their dispute with Mark Patrick and several charitable foundation entities.
Fifteenth Court of Appeals Denies Mandamus Seeking Interlocutory Review of Business Court Discovery Order
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals issued a memorandum opinion in mandamus proceedings brought by Faisal Chaudhry and Stillwater OZ Development Fund, LLC, challenging a trial court order in what appears to be Business Court litigation. The decision represents an early data point in the developing appellate jurisprudence governing interlocutory review of Texas Business Court rulings.
Voluntary Dismissal Ends First Reported Appeal from Business Court Division 3A
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals granted an unopposed motion to dismiss the appeal in Storable, Inc. v. Safelease Insurance Services, LLC, a case originating from Business Court Division 3A in Travis County. The October 2, 2025 per curiam memorandum opinion provides no substantive analysis, leaving the underlying Business Court ruling undisturbed following voluntary dismissal under Texas Rule of Appellate Procedure 42.1(a).
Fifteenth Court of Appeals Dismisses Unopposed Mandamus Petition from Business Court Division 3A in Self-Storage Software Dispute
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals granted an unopposed motion to dismiss a mandamus petition filed by six self-storage software and services companies—Storable, Inc.; RedNova Labs, Inc. (d/b/a storEDGE); SitelinkSoftware, LLC; Easy Storage Solutions, LLC; Bader Co.; and Property First Group, LP—challenging a ruling from Business Court Division 3A in Travis County. The October 2, 2025 memorandum opinion provides no substantive analysis of the underlying dispute or the reasons for dismissal.
Business Court Remand Orders Are Not Immediately Appealable, Fifteenth Court Holds in Second Jurisdictional Dismissal
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
The Fifteenth Court of Appeals dismissed Synergy Global Outsourcing's appeal from a Business Court Division 1B order remanding the case back to district court, holding that remand orders are neither final judgments nor subject to interlocutory appeal under any statute. The ruling, which follows the court's same-day decision in ETC Field Services, forecloses direct appeals from Business Court determinations that a case does not qualify for the specialized tribunal.
Energy Transfer Mandamus Proceeding Dismissed by Joint Motion Before Fifteenth Court
Joel Reese | Aug 05, 2026
Energy Transfer LP and ETC Texas Pipeline, Ltd. jointly moved to dismiss their mandamus petition before the Fifteenth Court of Appeals, and the court granted the motion on February 6, 2025. The per curiam opinion terminates the original proceeding without reaching any merits, leaving the underlying dispute and reasons for dismissal undisclosed in the public record.