HOUSTON – The Supreme Court of Texas agreed with AZA’s appellate team when it found that a trial court abused its discretion when it failed to dismiss a case against energy giant Weatherford International.
The justices found on April 26 that Weatherford could not be sued in a Texas court. The case was filed by the family of a worker who lived in South Africa and centered on questions about a medical test conducted in Egypt.
“All statutory factors weigh in favor of the claims for wrongful death being heard in a forum outside Texas, and the trial court clearly abused its discretion in denying Weatherford Houston’s motion to dismiss those claims,” the court wrote in the per curiam opinion. The case could still be refiled in other forums outside of Texas.
Weatherford was represented by AZA partners Kelsi Stayart White, Todd Mensing and Ryan Hackney. AZA designed the appellate strategy in the trial court and was joined in the appeal by lawyers at Bracewell LLP.
This ruling was covered in a Law360 story Texas High Court Roundup (subscription required).
The case is In re: Weatherford International LLC et al., case number 22-1014, in the Supreme Court of Texas. The case was originally heard in the 11th District Court in Harris County.
AZA, or Ahmad, Zavitsanos & Mensing, is a Houston-based law firm that is home to true courtroom lawyers with a formidable track record in complex commercial litigation, including energy, healthcare, intellectual property and business dispute cases. AZA is recognized by Chambers USA 2023 as among the best in Texas in commercial law and intellectual property; has been listed by Best Lawyers’ Best Law Firms as one of the country’s best commercial litigation firms for 12 years; has been named Litigation Department of the Year by Texas Lawyer three times; and was previously dubbed a Texas Powerhouse law firm by Law360.