Media Buzz
Texas Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Houston ISD
March 19, 2021
The Texas Supreme Court agreed with ODC attorney Dave Campbell's arguments. It ruled in favor of HISD, prohibiting the Texas Education Agency from moving forward with its attempted take over of the District. The Texas Supreme Court ruled that a state agency or head of a state department cannot override an adverse outcome at the trial court and take unauthorized actions while the appeal of that action is pending. An excellent result for the judicial system and the appellate court's power to protect their jurisdiction
Partner Justin Demerath Concludes the Southerland Shooting Trial.
April 21, 2021
Job well done to our partner Justin Demerath and other co-counsel for concluding their recent Church Shooting trial, the first of its kind in the Country. He reports a ruling is expected in around 6-8 weeks. For more, here is a link to the story https://www.kxan.com/.../closing-arguments-in-sutherland...
Juan Cabrera Joins ODC as Of Counsel
May 3, 2021
ODC is happy to announce that Juan Cabrera will be joining the Firm as Of-Counsel. Most recently Juan served as Superintendent of El Paso ISD. We are excited about the perspective and expertise he will add to ensure the highest quality of service to our clients.
Travis County District Court Judge Reverses Commissioner's Decision in Termination of Teacher who Tweeted to Trump.
March 24, 2021
Congratulations to ODC attorneys David Campbell, Kristi Godden, Kevin O'Hanlon, Benjamin F. Castillo, Audra Gonzalez Welter, and the entire litigation team at O'Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo, P.C. for the win on behalf of the Fort Worth Independent School District. The District Court reversed Commissioner Mike Morath's erroneous decision and reinstated the Board of Trustees' decision to terminate the employment of high school teacher Georgia Clark. In violation of District policy and federal law, Ms. Clark sent multiple tweets in 2019 asking federal authorities to actively investigate and remove students from the school district based on their ethnicity and national origin. We are pleased that the District Court recognized the importance of allowing school boards to make critical employment decisions in the best interests of students and the school community.
Texas Supreme Court sides with School Districts Regarding Mask Mandates, For Now.
August 19, 2021
The Texas Supreme Court denied the Governor’s attempt to circumvent the judicial process and deny our clients their day in court in the Travis County lawsuit regarding Governor Abbott’s mask mandate ban. The Governor had asked the Court in an emergency motion to stay the Temporary Restraining Orders issued by Travis County Judge Jan Soifer that prevented the Governor from enforcing his mask mandate ban against school districts in Texas. The Governor had also filed a mandamus petition asking the Court to overturn Judge Soifer’s order that the Governor exceeded his authority when he attempted to usurp the rights of school boards to enact reasonable safety measures to protect their students and school communities during a pandemic. We look forward to presenting evidence in support of our school district client’s arguments at a temporary injunction hearing on Monday. We are pleased that the temporary restraining orders remain in effect tonight. Spectacular job to Senior Associate Dave Campbell for all of his hard work and advocacy on behalf of our clients.
Shellie Smith Joins ODC as an Associate Attorney in its Rio Grande Valley Office.
October 1, 2021
Kevin O'Hanlon, Partner at the law firm of O'Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo, has announced that attorney Shellie Smith, is the newest member of the firm! Shellie will be adding her expertise to the Firm's team in its Rio Grande Valley Office. Kevin O'Hanlon, commenting on the new hire said: "Shellie Smith has decided to join our team here at O'Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo. We are so pleased to have her with us and our clients will be as well." Kevin O'Hanlon went on to say: "Shellie brings a wealth of experience and legal expertise to the table. We are happy that she is joining us as we continue to grow and expand our services to new and existing clients. She will be a great asset to all of us."
Robert David Joins ODC as an Associate Attorney in its Fort Worth Office.
October 10, 2021
Robert David joins the ODC team as an associate attorney in its Fort Worth office. Mr. David earned his J.D. from the Texas A&M School of Law. He was a legal intern in the legal department for the Fort Worth Independent School District, where he served for two years. Mr. David was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in October 2021 after successfully passing the state bar exam. Kevin O'Hanlon, a partner with the Firm, said, "Robert David is an excellent addition to our Fort Worth office. He brings great energy and zealous advocacy to our clients."