Weekly Docket

Join Phil Silberman and Chris Heald in Episode 148 of the ‘Weekly Docket’ as they break down the courtroom strategy behind picking a jury and how voir dire actually works as a deselection process. Explore Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 223 and how a jury shuffle allows either side to randomly reorder and reseat the entire venire panel before questioning begins. Plus, learn the difference between st...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they examine employer liability rights, neighbor property torts, and complex easement drafting mechanics under Texas law. They open the discussion by evaluating when an employer can legally sue an employee for costly workplace errors, distinguishing everyday business operational costs from actionable breaches of a duty of care. Then they delve...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they break down state tax liabilities, real estate infrastructure agreements, and property conveyance options under Texas law. They open the episode analyzing multi-state franchise and sales tax obligations, exploring physical presence, economic nexus thresholds established under South Dakota v. Wayfair, and how state-specific rules impact out...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they navigate crucial communication strategies, transactional drafting essentials, and commercial litigation causes of action under Texas law. They open the show discussing why human-written emails, concise messaging, and subtle formatting choices are becoming essential for deliverability and engagement as artificial intelligence tools prolife...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they share candid insights on the practical realities of practicing law and running a legal business. They reveal why less than one percent of civil cases actually go to trial and analyze the dual balance required to manage a successful law firm as both a profession and a business. Then they explored the critical importance of trust accounting...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they examine law firm billing practices, real estate tax obligations, and estate planning mechanics under Texas law. They kick off the episode with an honest discussion on hourly attorney billing, contrasting bloated billing practices against how earnest lawyers track time, manage client relationships, and adopt modern billing software. Then t...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they discuss Texas real estate regulations, healthcare billing rules, and real property litigation tools. They start by examining 22 Tex. Admin. Code § 535.157, breaking down the requirement that real estate brokers and sales agents respond to clients and transactional parties within two calendar days and how delays can trigger fiduciary duty...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they analyze high-stakes debt collection tactics, co-ownership property disputes, and tenant litigation defenses under Texas law. They first dissect the strict statutory mechanics of pre-judgment writs of garnishment under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code §§ 63.001–63.008 and TRCP Rule 658, detailing how creditors can freeze bank account...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they navigate complex property transfers, federal construction remedies, and contract defense strategy under Texas law. They first discuss the proper mechanics of deeding Texas real estate to an out-of-state trust using general warranty deeds to protect title insurance coverage. Then they tackle federal construction law, explaining why soverei...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they address complex real estate disputes and sophisticated estate planning strategies under Texas law. They first dissect partition lawsuits initiated by investor companies acquiring fractional interests in family-owned land, explaining procedural steps, receiver-driven fair market valuations, and co-tenant buyout rights under the Texas Unifo...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they navigate critical corporate compliance hurdles and business acquisition strategies under Texas law. They examine whether a law firm can temporarily serve as a client's registered agent, the mechanics of filing a resignation with the Secretary of State, and how entity status issues lead to court motions for abatement. The duo also cau...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they demystify core litigation procedures, legal financing trends, and mold claims facing Texas homebuilders. They kick off the episode by defining the real-world mechanics of a court status conference, explaining how trial judges use these procedural check-ins to enforce scheduling orders, manage discovery deadlines, and keep civil lawsuits m...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they share unfiltered, practical wisdom for building a thriving legal practice. They unpack three core principles that separate highly successful attorneys from the rest. They dive into the evolving landscape of online reputation management, analyzing why customer reviews are more critical than ever in the age of AI. Finally, they offer valuab...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they examine a notable JP court interpretation regarding landlord security deposit accounting timelines under Texas Property Code § 92.109(d). They break down the legal distinction between delivering a timely accounting notice within 30 days versus disbursing actual refund checks, highlighting the practical impacts on both tenants and property...

Texas Entities vs. Delaware Entities, Locating Deceased Bank Accounts & Deed Changes This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they analyze whether forming a Delaware entity still holds an advantage over a Texas entity, evaluating Texas's newly established business courts designed specifically for complex corporate disputes. They then tackle critical probate questions, provid...

Join Phil Silberman and Chris Heald for Episode 133 of the ‘Weekly Docket’ as they break down essential Texas real estate, estate planning, and tax laws. They explore the key differences between a Living Will—also known as a Physician’s Directive—and a Medical Power of Attorney, and whether you actually need both to protect your healthcare decisions. Next, the guys answer critical real estate and...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they break down essential procedural rules for navigating civil litigation in Texas courts. They explore the strategic mechanics of voluntary case dismissals, detailing the critical differences between a nonsuit with prejudice versus a nonsuit without prejudice, while cautioning plaintiffs to verify that pending counterclaims won't derail...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they trouble-shoot common procedural and technical roadblocks facing Texas legal practitioners. They kick off the show by addressing a frustrating reality when searching court records for Justice of the Peace courts. Next, they debate the best way to handle Outlook email files in discovery. They also handle a high-stakes probate strategy quest...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they analyze a massive transformation in Texas civil litigation, turning Texas courts into a true "rocket docket". They also share some wild courtroom drama involving a child support enforcement hearing and an opposing counsel throwing exhibits. Next, they pivot to corporate transaction strategy, answering a critical business questio...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they kick off the 4th of July weekend by addressing the continuing saga of the nationwide court reporter backlash. They shift gears into landlord-tenant law, breaking down how some tenants are actively abusing emotional support animal (ESA) laws to completely bypass pet deposits. Next, they tackle a common trap for Realtors: the danger of nego...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Patrick as they address the massive social media backlash following a controversial post about saving clients money on deposition costs. The duo dives into the logistics and actual expenses behind deposition notices, appearance fees, and transcript orders. They break down the mechanics of the errata sheet review period and dissect the specific Texas Ru...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they tackle the procedural headache of unsigned service citations and unserved court statuses. They analyze the high-stakes dilemma defendants face when handed blank paperwork, outlining how to determine true answer deadlines and what defensive steps to take while the court records lag behind. They also break down the strict requirements of Te...

Join Phil Silberman and Chris Heald in Episode 126 of the ‘Weekly Docket’ as they break down the high-profile Frisco track meet stabbing trial and analyze how Texas law defines self-defense, deadly force, and the provocation exception. Dive into the complex real estate traps of putting minor children on property deeds, and explore how Texas Estates Code Chapter 1351 offers a streamlined path aroun...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they analyze a staggering $25.6 million wire fraud scheme targeting the firm Arup. They unpack how a finance employee was deceived during a live video conference call where every single executive on screen was an AI-generated deepfake clone, and outline why a zero-trust analog solution is now an operational necessity for business security. The...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they navigate the mechanics of recovering secured assets when a borrower defaults on a commercial loan. They break down the essential trifecta of a Note, Security Agreement, and UCC-1 filing , explaining how lenders can utilize Texas Business and Commerce Code § 9.609 for self-help repossession without a breach of the peace, or file for judici...