In a Texas anti-SLAPP, TCPA, case, saying something is a matter of public concern doesn’t make it so. The record must contain evidence that the pleadings sought to be dismissed involve a matter of public concern.
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Can a motion for sanctions be dismissed under the Texas anti-SLAPP, TCPA law? The law was amended by the 2019 legislature effective Sept. 1, 2019. The new law excludes procedural actions or motions. But what about cases filed before Sept. 1, 2019? The court here found that the Texas anti-SLAPP, TCPA, can’t be used to dismiss a motion for sanctions.
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Background Statute Texas Citizens Participation Act (TCPA), TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM. CODE ANN. §...
Read MoreThe committee is part of the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting in Austin and considers resolutions submitted for review and approval. “Any resolutions adopted by the committee will be considered by attendees of the General...
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When a Texas anti-SLAPP motion to dismiss has been filed, all proceedings in the trial court, including discovery, or stayed. The trial court can allow “specified and limited” discovery that is relevant to the motion to dismiss if “good cause” is shown. Comprehensive discovery is not allowed, but the plaintiff must be armed with “clear and specific” evidence of each essential element of every single claim challenged. Thus, discovery must be sufficiently broad to cover all essential elements of all of the challenged claims, even if it could be later determined that some of the claims did not fall within the TCPA.
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The consequences of a judge’s failure to rule on a motion to dismiss are different between the Texas anti-SLAPP, TCPA, statute and Rule 91a. Under the TCPA, a failure to rule is considered a denial of the motion from which an interlocutory appeal may be filed. Under Rule 91a, a failure to rule is just that, a non-ruling. There is no appealable order if the trial court hasn’t ruled on the Rule 91a motion. A petition for writ of mandamus may be filed to force the trial court to rule but until he rules, there is no appealable order.
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