Weekly Docket

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they break down the major Texas eviction reforms taking effect January 1, 2026. Explore how Senate Bill 38 streamlines the legal process by barring unrelated tenant counterclaims and authorizes the use of email notices for the first time. They also provide an in-depth look at the brand-new summary disposition procedure that allows landlords to evict tenants without a trial. Fin...

Join Phil and Chris in Episode 102 of the ‘Weekly Docket’ as they break down a significant legal development regarding a judge blocking a Texas law designed to restrict minor access to app stores. The guys also discuss the various ways to secure money for buying a business and explain how Large Language Models (LLMs) really work. Finally, they discuss whether using ChatGPT violates confidentiality under the lawyer rules for profess...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they analyze President Trump’s executive order to reschedule marijuana to Schedule III and what this federal shift specifically means for state law enforcement and doctors in Texas. They also provide a critical update on the significant 2026 increases to taxable estate thresholds and gift tax exclusions following the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act,’ detailing exactly what individu...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris in the 100th episode as they discuss the legal implications of Texas Senate Bill 8, which mandates the use of public restrooms in state buildings based on the gender on a person's birth certificate. They also answer practical legal questions, including an explanation of a deed without warranty and how it differs from a quitclaim deed. Finally, get insights on how much cities ...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they dive into the complex world of trial law and evidence. They discuss the critical steps for getting evidence admitted in court, when attorneys should object to hearsay, and the rules surrounding the hearsay exception. The hosts explain how to lay the business records predicate to get documents into evidence and explore how trial attorneys are fighting deepfakes in the court...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they discuss what public schools in Texas can expel a student for, focusing on mandatory expellable offenses like weapons, drugs, and felonies, and discretionary ones like retaliation and computer crimes. They answer a listener's question about maintaining a property inherited from a grandfather and the protection offered by the Texas Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Ac...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they dive into the most typical reason for amending LLC documents (usually for ownership changes) and why it doesn't always require changing the Certificate of Formation. They explain why a commercial lease lockout works well in Texas under Property Code 93.002, but does not make sense for residential tenancies. Finally, they engage in a lively Rant and Rave about the Rest...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they tackle listener questions on landlord-tenant law and estate planning. They discuss the legal options for a landlord owed over $20,000 in back rent who needs to evict a tenant. They also delve into will essentials, explaining what a residuary clause is and offering tips on navigating heirs at law. Plus, they answer the common question: should you answer a lawsuit if you hav...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they tackle listener questions on the cost to review a commercial sales contract and what value an attorney adds to the review. They also break down title insurance, explaining what it covers, why it's necessary, and how it differs from standard casualty insurance. Finally, in their Rant and Rave segment, they discuss the growing problem of receiving AI-generated emails fr...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they discuss strategies for collecting small debts, such as $5,500 owed by a General Contractor, exploring the "small dollar demand letter bluff" and the option of DIY JP Court actions. They also address a critical real estate legal question: what a buyer should do when there are liens on Schedule C of the Title Commitment for a home purchase, including the right to o...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they dive into the lawsuit between Baylor University and Boston University over their interlocking "BU" logos, including a 1988 agreement and color differences. They also address listener questions on whether to hire an attorney to review a standard residential home purchase contract and the legal considerations for forming a Texas LLC with foreign investors.

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Patrick as they discuss the requirement to include a driver's license or social security number in an application to probate a will in Texas. They also dive into the process of appointing receivers under the Texas Turnover Statute for collecting on judgments and how a receiver operates. Additionally, they explain how to tell if a property has been foreclosed on by looking for a tru...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil and Chris as they tackle listener questions, including what recourse a buyer has if a house is discovered to have less square footage after closing, exploring causes of action like DTPA and negligent misrepresentation. They also delve into the ethical debate surrounding the contingency fee model, discussing whether it allows lawyers to "buy claims" and how it provides access to ju...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil Silberman and Chris Heald. In this episode, we discuss the surprising surge in law school applications and what that might mean for the legal job market. We also dive into a legal question about when you need two companies - a holding company and an operating company - and provide some examples for when this makes sense. Finally, in our "Rant and Rave" segment, we discuss the seri...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil Silberman and Chris Heald as they discuss a new Texas law, HB 21, that closes the "traveling loophole," which allowed Housing Finance Corporations (HFCs) to grant tax exemptions for properties outside their jurisdiction. They also answer a legal question about how to get an out-of-state guardianship approved in Texas and discuss big law attorney workload and compensation. Finally,...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil Silberman and Chris Heald as they discuss a new Texas law that expands the definition of telephone solicitors to include text messages, creating a private right of action for consumers. They also provide a rundown on what's required to sell a car to a private person in Texas. Finally, they rant about how AI and services like ChatGPT are destroying the web by discouraging human content ...

This week on the Weekly Docket, join Phil Silberman and Chris Heald as they explore a new Texas law that bans "expressive activities" on public university campuses between 10 PM and 8 AM and the lawsuit challenging it. They also answer a legal question about what to do when a contractor files a lien on a property before closing and won't release it. Finally, they rant about clients who don't listen to legal advi...

This week on the Weekly Docket, Join Phil Silberman and Chris Heald as they discuss what a prenuptial agreement for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce might look like. They also cover the importance of specifying that income from separate property remains separate property. Additionally, they answer a legal question about what to do when you can't find heirs for a probate and the use of private investigators to find them. Finally, ...