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Portrait of Hon. Jerry D. Bullard

Hon. Jerry D. Bullard

Judge · Seat 8A

Texas Business Court · Eighth Business Court Division (Fort Worth)

Biography

Judge Jerry Bullard serves on the Texas Business Court’s Eighth Division, which is based in Fort Worth, Texas but covers 18 counties in North Texas. Prior to his appointment, Judge Bullard was a shareholder and attorney with Adams, Lynch & Loftin, P.C. He has over 30 years of experience in state and federal court trial and appellate litigation. During that time, in addition to handling complex commercial litigation matters, Judge Bullard routinely represented and consulted with individuals and business organizations with respect to organizational governance, policy drafting, commercial transactions, and other operational matters. Judge Bullard is board certified in civil appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, is a member and treasurer of the Board of Directors of the American College of Business Court Judges and serves on the Texas Supreme Court Advisory Committee. Judge Bullard is an active member of the State Bar of Texas and its Appellate, Business Law, Judicial, and Litigation Sections, the Texas Bar College, and the Tarrant County Bar Association. He has also served as a gubernatorial appointee on the Texas Juvenile Justice Board, a Section Representative on the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors, a member of the Texas Supreme Court’s Conduct Commission Procedural Rules Task Force, and a member of the State Bar of Texas Court Administration Task Force. Judge Bullard received a Bachelor of Arts from Baylor University and his law degree from The University of Texas at Austin School of Law.

Source: txcourts.gov

Opinions by Judge Bullard (2)

Third Party Beneficiary ×
2025 Tex. Bus. 54 Summary Judgment December 22, 2025

Business Court Enforces Seven-Day Summary Judgment Evidence Deadline and Parses Expectancy Versus Reliance Damages in Oil and Gas Contract Dispute

In Slant Operating v. Octane Energy Operating, Judge Bullard granted Octane's motion to strike untimely summary judgment evidence filed one day late and granted partial summary judgment on lost revenue claims, holding that the operator plaintiff lacks standing to recover lost production damages but may proceed on redesign costs and expectancy damages. The December 22, 2025 memorandum opinion underscores strict enforcement of Rule 166a deadlines and clarifies which plaintiff entities may recover which categories of contract damages in oil and gas breach-of-contract cases.

Mem. Op. Oil & Gas Summary Judgment Rule 166a Contract Damages Expectancy Damages Opinion PDF ↓
2025 Tex. Bus. 52 Jurisdiction & Remand December 22, 2025

Third-Party Beneficiary Status and Jurisdictional Retention After Claim Dismissal in Oil and Gas Waiver Dispute

In Slant Operating v. Octane Energy Operating, the Texas Business Court sustained a plea to the jurisdiction, holding that a leaseholder was not a third-party beneficiary to a reciprocal waiver agreement between two operators. The Court further held it retains jurisdiction over the entire lawsuit after dismissing the leaseholder's third-party beneficiary claims, clarifying the interplay between standing and subject-matter jurisdiction.

Oil & Gas Summary Judgment Plea to the Jurisdiction Third-Party Beneficiary Standing Opinion PDF ↓