The Supreme Court of Texas Blog

Voting-affinity data
for the 2014-2017 Terms
(September 1, 2013 to August 31, 2017)

Hecht

Brown

In 2014-2017, they participated together in 231 signed decisions

Joined the same opinions	205/231	88.7%
Different opinions, same judgment	9/231	3.9%
Agreed on judgment	214/231	92.6%
Disagreed on judgment	17/231	7.4%

And 84 of those led to split (non-unanimous) opinions

Joined the same opinions	58/84	69.0%
Different opinions, same judgment	9/84	10.7%
Agreed on judgment	67/84	79.8%
Disagreed on judgment	17/84	20.2%

Within those 84 cases that had some split opinions:

58 cases:
Joined the same opinions

TENET HOSPITALS LIMITED, A TEXAS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP D/B/A PROVIDENCE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, AND MICHAEL D. COMPTON, M.D. v. ELIZABETH RIVERA, AS NEXT FRIEND FOR M.R., No. 13-0096

Majority

PETROLEUM SOLUTIONS, INC. v. BILL HEAD D/B/A BILL HEAD ENTERPRISES AND TITEFLEX, INC., No. 11-0425

Majority

PLAINSCAPITAL BANK v. WILLIAM MARTIN, No. 13-0337

Majority

PLAINS EXPLORATION & PRODUCTION COMPANY v. TORCH ENERGY ADVISORS INCORPORATED, No. 13-0597

Majority

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE, DIVISION OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION v. BONNIE JONES AND AMERICAN HOME ASSURANCE COMPANY, No. 15-0025

Majority

JOHN SAMPSON v. THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, No. 14-0745

Majority

LEONARD K. HOSKINS v. COLONEL CLIFTON HOSKINS AND HOSKINS, INC., No. 15-0046

Majority

WADE BRADY v. LEAANNE KLENTZMAN AND CARTER PUBLICATIONS, INC. D/B/A THE WEST FORT BEND STAR, INC., No. 15-0056

Dissent

WAL-MART STORES, INCORPORATED v. DORIS FORTE, O.D., ON BEHALF OF HERSELF AND ALL OTHER SIMILARLY SITUATED PERSONS; BRIDGET LEESANG, O.D.; DAVID WIGGINS, O.D.; AND JOHN BOLDAN, O.D., No. 15-0146

Majority

HELIX ENERGY SOLUTIONS GROUP, INC., HELIX WELL OPS, INC., AND HELIX OFFSHORE INTERNATIONAL, INC. v. KELVIN GOLD, No. 16-0075

Majority

KING STREET PATRIOTS, CATHERINE ENGELBRECHT, BRYAN ENGELBRECHT, AND DIANE JOSEPHS v. TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY; GILBERTO HINOJOSA, SUCCESSOR TO BOYD RICHIE, IN HIS CAPACITY AS CHAIRMAN OF THE TEXAS DEMOCRATIC PARTY; JOHN WARREN, IN HIS CAPACITY AS DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE FOR DALLAS COUNTY CLERK; AND ANN BENNETT, IN HER CAPACITY AS THE DEMOCRATIC, No. 15-0320

Majority

SEABRIGHT INSURANCE COMPANY v. MAXIMINA LOPEZ, BENEFICIARY OF CANDELARIO LOPEZ, DECEASED, No. 14-0272

Majority

UNION CARBIDE CORPORATION v. DAISY E. SYNATZSKE AND GRACE ANNETTE WEBB, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS REPRESENTATIVES AND CO-EXECUTRIXES OF THE ESTATE OF JOSEPH EMMITE, SR., JOSEPH EMMITE, JR., DOROTHY A. DAY, VERA J. GIALMALVA AND JAMES R. EMMITE, No. 12-0617

Majority

LUBBOCK COUNTY WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT AND TOMMY FISHER, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE LUBBOCK COUNTY WATER CONTROL AND IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT v. CHURCH & AKIN, L.L.C., No. 12-1039

Majority

SUSAN ELAINE BOSTIC, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HEIRS AND ESTATE OF TIMOTHY SHAWN BOSTIC, DECEASED; HELEN DONNAHOE; AND KYLE ANTHONY BOSTIC v. GEORGIA-PACIFIC CORPORATION, No. 10-0775

Majority

STATE OF TEXAS v. ANGELIQUE NAYLOR AND SABINA DALY, No. 11-0114

Majority

THE BOEING COMPANY AND THE GREATER KELLY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY N/K/A THE PORT AUTHORITY OF SAN ANTONIO v. KEN PAXTON, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS, No. 12-1007

Majority

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES v. OLIVER OKOLI, No. 10-0567

Majority

IN RE STATE BAR OF TEXAS, No. 13-0161

Majority

BOB GREENE, AS NEXT FRIEND OF LEWAYNE GREENE v. FARMERS INSURANCE EXCHANGE, No. 12-0867

Majority

IN RE JOHN DOE A/K/A “TROOPER”, No. 13-0073

Majority

IN THE INTEREST OF K.M.L., A CHILD, No. 12-0728

Majority

GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP v. KEN PAXTON, TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL; AND JIM JENKINS, No. 13-0745

Majority

ASHISH PATEL, ANVERALI SATANI, NAZIRA MOMIN, MINAZ CHAMADIA, AND VIJAY LAKSHMI YOGI v. TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF LICENSING AND REGULATION, ET AL., No. 12-0657

Dissent

BARBARA D. COSGROVE, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS THE TRUSTEE OF THE CHARLES AND BARBARA COSGROVE FAMILY REVOCABLE LIVING TRUST v. MICHAEL CADE AND BILLIE CADE, No. 14-0346

Majority

MCGINNES INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE CORPORATION v. THE PHOENIX INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE TRAVELERS INDEMNITY COMPANY, No. 14-0465

Majority

IN RE DEEPWATER HORIZON, No. 13-0670

Majority

CITY OF HOUSTON v. JAMES & ELIZABETH CARLSON, ET AL., No. 13-0435

Majority

ROYSTON, RAYZOR, VICKERY, & WILLIAMS, LLP v. FRANCISCO "FRANK" LOPEZ, No. 13-1026

Majority

RSUI INDEMNITY COMPANY v. THE LYND COMPANY, No. 13-0080

Dissent

KINGSAIRE, INC. D/B/A KINGS AIRE, INC. v. JORGE MELENDEZ, No. 14-0006

Majority

COTI MATTHEWS, ON BEHALF OF HER MINOR CHILD M.M., ET AL. v. KOUNTZE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, No. 14-0453

Majority

HOUSTON BELT & TERMINAL RAILWAY CO., BNSF RAILWAY CO., AND UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD CO. v. CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS AND DANIEL KRUEGER, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS AND ENGINEERING, No. 14-0459

Majority

COYOTE LAKE RANCH, LLC v. THE CITY OF LUBBOCK, No. 14-0572

Majority

HALEY HEBNER AND DARRIN CHARLES SCOTT, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS NEXT FRIENDS OF R.M.S., A MINOR v. NAGAKRISHNA REDDY, M.D., AND NEW BRAUNFELS OB/GYN, P.A., No. 14-0593

Majority

KBMT OPERATING COMPANY, LLC, KBMT LICENSE COMPANY, LLC, BRIAN BURNS, JACKIE SIMIEN AND TRACY KENNICK v. MINDA LAO TOLEDO, No. 14-0456

Majority

UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY v. WILLIAM NAMI, No. 14-0901

Majority

MIKE MORATH, COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY; GLENN HEGAR, TEXAS COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY; THE TEXAS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION; AND THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY v. THE TEXAS TAXPAYER AND STUDENT FAIRNESS COALITION, ET AL.; CALHOUN COUNTY ISD, ET AL.; EDGEWOOD ISD, ET AL.; FORT BEND ISD, ET AL.; TEXAS CHARTER SCHOOL ASSOCIATION, ET AL.; AND JOYCE COLEMAN, ET AL., No. 14-0776

Majority

BCCA APPEAL GROUP, INC. v. CITY OF HOUSTON, TEXAS, No. 13-0768

Majority

UNITED SCAFFOLDING, INC. v. JAMES LEVINE, No. 15-0921

Majority

PEDERNAL ENERGY, LLC v. BRUINGTON ENGINEERING, LTD., No. 15-0123

Majority

UDR TEXAS PROPERTIES, L.P. D/B/A THE GALLERY APARTMENTS, UNITED DOMINION REALTY TRUST, INC., ASR OF DELAWARE, L.L.C., AND UDR WESTERN RESIDENTIAL, INC. v. ALAN PETRIE, No. 15-0197

Majority

D MAGAZINE PARTNERS, L.P. D/B/A D MAGAZINE, MAGAZINE LIMITED PARTNERS, L.P., AND ALLISON MEDIA, INC. v. JANAY BENDER ROSENTHAL, No. 15-0790

Majority

BENEDICT G. WENSKE AND ELIZABETH WENSKE v. STEVE EALY AND DEBORAH EALY, No. 16-0353

Majority

TERESA GAROFOLO v. OCWEN LOAN SERVICING, L.L.C., No. 15-0437

Majority

IN RE DEAN DAVENPORT, ET AL., No. 15-0882

Majority

NOBLE ENERGY, INC. v. CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY, No. 15-0502

Majority

JULIE HERSH v. JOHN TATUM AND MARY ANN TATUM, No. 16-0096

Majority

DELIA PAGAYON, MICHELLE FULTON, ALFREDO G. PAGAYON, MICHAEL G. PAGAYON, AND THE ESTATE OF ALFREDO M. PAGAYON v. EXXON MOBIL CORPORATION, No. 15-0642

Majority

CENTERPOINT BUILDERS GP, LLC AND CENTERPOINT BUILDERS, LTD. v. TRUSSWAY, LTD., No. 14-0650

Majority

KEN PAXTON, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF TEXAS v. CITY OF DALLAS, No. 15-0073

Majority

PRESTON A. OCHSNER v. VICTORIA V. OCHSNER, No. 14-0638

Majority

IN RE NATIONAL LLOYDS INSURANCE COMPANY, WARDLAW CLAIMS SERVICE, INC. AND IDEAL ADJUSTING, INC., No. 15-0591

Majority

AMERICO LIFE, INC., AMERICO FINANCIAL LIFE AND ANNUITY INSURANCE COMPANY, GREAT SOUTHERN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, THE OHIO STATE LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, AND NATIONAL FARMERS UNION LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY v. ROBERT L. MYER AND STRIDER MARKETING GROUP, INC., No. 12-0739

Majority

ZACHRY CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION v. PORT OF HOUSTON AUTHORITY OF HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS, No. 12-0772

Majority

HIGHLAND HOMES LTD. v. THE STATE OF TEXAS, No. 12-0604

Majority

GENIE INDUSTRIES, INC. v. RICKY MATAK, BELINDA MATAK AND MISTY SONNIER, AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF WALTER PETE LOGAN MATAK, DECEASED, No. 13-0042

Majority

PHILADELPHIA INDEMNITY INSURANCE COMPANY, A/S/O MIRSAN, L.P., D/B/A SIENNA RIDGE APARTMENTS v. CARMEN A. WHITE, No. 14-0086

Majority

9 cases:
Some divergence on opinions

LEVINSON ALCOSER ASSOCIATES, L.P. AND LEVINSON ASSOCIATES, INC. v. EL PISTOLÓN II, LTD., No. 15-0232

Concurrence

Majority

THE FINANCE COMMISSION OF TEXAS, THE CREDIT UNION COMMISSION OF TEXAS, AND TEXAS BANKERS ASSOCIATION v. VALERIE NORWOOD, ELISE SHOWS, MARYANN ROBLES-VALDEZ, BOBBY MARTIN, PAMELA COOPER, AND CARLOS RIVAS, No. 10-0121

Majority

On Rehearing

IN RE STATE BOARD FOR EDUCATOR CERTIFICATION, No. 13-0537

Majority

Concurrence

COINMACH CORP. F/K/A SOLON AUTOMATED SERVICES, INC. v. ASPENWOOD APARTMENT CORP., No. 11-0213

Concurrence

Majority

MIKE MORATH, COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION v. STERLING CITY INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, HIGHLAND INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND BLACKWELL CONSOLIDATED INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, No. 14-0986

Concurrence

Plurality

WALLACE L. HALL, JR., IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS A REGENT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM v. WILLIAM H. MCRAVEN, IN HIS OFFICIAL CAPACITY AS CHANCELLOR FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM, No. 16-0773

Concurrence

Majority

BRENTON M. STANFIELD, THOMAS P. STONE, STONE & ASSOCIATES, LLP, AND JIMMY VAN KNIGHTON, II v. JON T. NEUBAUM AND BARBARA NEUBAUM, No. 15-0387

Concurrence

Majority

THE STATE OF TEXAS v. ONE (1) 2004 LINCOLN NAVIGATOR, VIN # 5LMFU27RX4LJ28242, No. 14-0692

Concurrence

Majority

GARY WAYNE JASTER v. COMET II CONSTRUCTION, INC., JOE H. SCHNEIDER, LAURA H. SCHNEIDER, AND AUSTIN DESIGN GROUP, No. 12-0804

Dissent

17 cases:
Disagreed about the judgment

HARRIS COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT AND HARRIS COUNTY, TEXAS v. EDWARD A. AND NORMA KERR, ET AL., No. 13-0303

Dissent

Majority

KACHINA PIPELINE COMPANY, INC. v. MICHAEL D. LILLIS, No. 13-0596

Concur/Dissent

Majority

CANTEY HANGER, LLP v. PHILIP GREGORY BYRD, LUCY LEASING CO., L.L.C., AND PGB AIR, INC., No. 13-0861

Majority

Dissent

ETC MARKETING, LTD. v. HARRIS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT, No. 15-0687

Dissent

Concurrence

Majority

MICHAEL MCINTYRE AND LAURA MCINTYRE, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF THEIR CHILDREN, K.M., L.M., C.M., M.M., AND L.M. v. EL PASO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT, DR. LORENZO GARCIA, AND MARK MENDOZA, No. 14-0732

Dissent

Majority

LEE C. RITCHIE, ET AL. v. ANN CALDWELL RUPE, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE DALLAS GORDON RUPE, III 1995 FAMILY TRUST, No. 11-0447

Majority

Dissent

IN RE FORD MOTOR COMPANY, No. 12-0957

Majority

Dissent

KING FISHER MARINE SERVICE, L.P. v. JOSE H. TAMEZ, No. 13-0103

Majority

Dissent

IN RE NATIONWIDE INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA, ET AL., No. 15-0328

Dissent

Majority

ALICE M. WOOD AND DANIEL L. WOOD v. HSBC BANK USA, N.A. AND OCWEN LOAN SERVICING, L.L.C., No. 14-0714

Dissent

Majority

CADENA COMERCIAL USA CORP. D/B/A OXXO v. TEXAS ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMMISSION, No. 14-0819

Dissent

Majority

BANKDIRECT CAPITAL FINANCE, LLC, A SUBSIDIARY OF TEXAS CAPITAL BANK, N.A. v. PLASMA FAB, LLC AND RUSSELL MCCANN, No. 15-0635

Dissent

Majority

RON SOMMERS, AS CHAPTER 7 TRUSTEE FOR ALABAMA AND DUNLAVY, LTD., FLAT STONE II, LTD., AND FLAT STONE, LTD., AND AS SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO JAY COHEN, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS TRUSTEE OF THE JHC TRUSTS I AND II v. SANDCASTLE HOMES, INC., No. 15-0847

Dissent

Majority

CHESAPEAKE EXPLORATION, L.L.C. AND CHESAPEAKE OPERATING, INC. v. MARTHA ROWAN HYDER, INDIVIDUALLY, AND AS INDEPENDENT EXECUTRIX AND TRUSTEE UNDER THE WILL OF ELTON M. HYDER, JR., DECEASED, AND AS TRUSTEE UNDER THE ELTON M. HYDER JR. RESIDUARY TRUST, AND AS TRUSTEE OF THE ELTON M. HYDER JR. MARITAL TRUST; BRENT ROWAN HY, No. 14-0302

Majority

Dissent

BROOKSHIRE BROTHERS, LTD. v. JERRY ALDRIDGE, No. 10-0846

Majority

Dissent

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON v. SANDRA WILLIAMS AND STEVE WILLIAMS, No. 13-0338

Plurality

Concur/Dissent

RAHUL K. NATH, M.D. v. TEXAS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND BAYLOR COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, No. 12-0620

Majority

Dissent

In 2014-2017, they participated together in 231 signed decisions

And 84 of those led to split (non-unanimous) opinions

58 cases:Joined the same opinions

9 cases:Some divergence on opinions

17 cases:Disagreed about the judgment

58 cases:
Joined the same opinions

9 cases:
Some divergence on opinions

17 cases:
Disagreed about the judgment