Second Court of Appeals

Summaries of Civil Opinions and Published Criminal Opinions Issued - Week of February 12, 2018.

NOTE: Summaries are prepared by the court's staff attorneys and law clerks for public information only and reflect his or her interpretation alone of the facts and legal issues. The summaries are not part of the court's opinion in the case and should not be cited to, quoted, or relied upon as the opinion of the court.

Links to full text of opinions (PDF version) can be accessed by clicking the cause number.

Miller v. Walker, No. 02-17-00035-CV (Feb. 15, 2018) (Meier, J., joined by Walker and Birdwell, JJ.).

Held:  The arbitration panel had the authority to award Miller attorneys’ fees in light of the parties’ submissions requesting attorneys’ fees and Walker’s failure to advise the panel that it lacked the authority to award Miller attorneys’ fees.

Lane v. Phares, No. 02-17-00190-CV (Feb. 15, 2018) (Pittman, J., joined by Sudderth, C.J., and Meier, J.).

Held:  Because Lane is a limited-purpose public figure and failed to produce clear and specific evidence that Phares published defamatory statements about her with actual malice, we affirm the trial court’s order dismissing her claims under the Texas Citizens Participation Act.