Blog Posts

David C. Barsalou, Attorney at Law, PLLC

September 9, 2025 4 min read

Navigating commercial litigation: A guide for business owners
September 9, 2025 3 min read

How to decide if you should sue someone – a Texas litigation lawyer's guide
September 9, 2025 3 min read

Fraud as a cause of action in Texas: What you need to know
September 10, 2025 3 min read

Vital Contractual Clauses and Their Purposes Under Texas Law
September 11, 2025 5 min read

Understanding the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA): A complex non-physical tort
September 12, 2025 4 min read

Breach of contract under Texas law: What you need to know
September 16, 2025 3 min read

Negotiating and Enforcing Liquidated Damages Clauses in Today’s Market
September 15, 2025 4 min read

What Is a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) in Texas?
September 15, 2025 4 min read

Contractual Assurances: Your Responsibility Under Texas Law
September 18, 2025 2 min read

Understanding ERISA: What It Is and Why It’s So Complex
September 18, 2025 4 min read

Shifting Attorneys’ Fees in Texas: Rules, Exceptions, and Unique Situations
September 18, 2025 4 min read

Understanding Regulation D Under U.S. Securities Laws
September 22, 2025 3 min read

Requirements for a Valid Mechanic’s Lien Under Texas Law
September 22, 2025 3 min read

Constitutional Liens in Texas: What You Need to Know
September 23, 2025 3 min read

Mediation: What to Expect, How to Prepare, and Common Missteps to Avoid
September 25, 2025 4 min read

Understanding Civil Contempt Under Texas Law
September 26, 2025 3 min read

Tortious Interference with a Contract Under Texas Law: A Distinct Cause of Action
September 26, 2025 3 min read

The Importance of Filing Deeds Under Texas Law
September 29, 2025 3 min read

Bankruptcy Is Serious: Understanding the Automatic Stay and Discharge Injunction
October 1, 2025 3 min read

The Judge’s Role vs. the Jury’s Role in a Texas Civil Jury Trial
October 1, 2025 4 min read

Understanding the Different Types of Powers of Attorney in Texas
October 2, 2025 9 min read

Discovery: purpose, pitfalls, cost, and how to survive it
October 3, 2025 4 min read

Voir Dire in Texas: What It Is and Why It Matters
October 6, 2025 4 min read

Defamation Per Se in Texas: When Words Alone Are Enough
October 6, 2025 5 min read

What Is Hearsay Under Texas Law? Understanding the Rule, Exceptions, and Exemptions
October 7, 2025 4 min read

What to Expect During a Deposition in Texas Litigation
October 8, 2025 4 min read

How to Properly Respond to a Motion for Summary Judgment Under Texas Law
October 9, 2025 4 min read

The Legal Lockout in Texas Residential Evictions: A Treacherous Shortcut
October 10, 2025 3 min read

Letters Rogatory in Texas Law: When Justice Crosses Borders
October 20, 2025 4 min read

When Are Verified Pleadings Required Under Texas Law?
October 22, 2025 4 min read

Understanding Nonprofit Corporations in Texas: Formation and Legal Foundations
October 23, 2025 4 min read

The “Dram Shop” Law in Texas: When Can a Bar Be Liable for a Drunk Driver?
October 24, 2025 4 min read

Understanding Vicarious Liability Under Texas Law
October 25, 2025 4 min read

Postnuptial Agreements in Texas: What They Are, How They Differ from Prenups, and Why Counsel Matters
October 27, 2025 3 min read

The Best Evidence Rule Under Texas Law: What It Really Means in Court
October 29, 2025 3 min read

What Liability Protection Does an LLC Member Actually Get?
November 3, 2025 3 min read

Understanding Third-Party Insurance Bad Faith in Texas
November 5, 2025 3 min read

What Is a Writ of Possession in a Texas Eviction?
November 6, 2025 4 min read

What Is a Continuance in Texas? Understanding How and When Trials Get Delayed
November 7, 2025 4 min read

Independent Administration of an Estate in Texas: The Ins and Outs
November 9, 2025 4 min read

Understanding Civil Conspiracy in Texas Law
November 11, 2025 3 min read

The Ethical Duty to Keep Client Funds Separate: A Cornerstone of Legal Practice
November 12, 2025 5 min read

Treble Damages in Texas: When the Law Allows Triple Recovery
November 13, 2025 4 min read

What Does It Mean to Be Board Certified in a Legal Specialty? Why It Matters to You
November 14, 2025 4 min read

Conversion as a Tort Under Texas Law: What It Is and Why It Matters
November 17, 2025 4 min read

Texas Boundary Disputes and Encroachment Problems
November 24, 2025 6 min read

What Makes a Good Lawyer in Texas? A Practical Guide from the Trenches of the Texas Legal System
November 25, 2025 6 min read

Understanding Vexatious Litigants in Texas: Definition, Nuances, and Practical Realities
November 26, 2025 4 min read

Giving Thanks for the Rule of Law: A Thanksgiving Reflection for Texans
December 1, 2025 5 min read

“Can I Remove This Fence?” – The Surprisingly Weird World of Texas Boundary Law
December 2, 2025 5 min read

The Texas Long-Arm Mailbox Rule: An Obscure CPRC Trap Every Litigator Should Know
December 3, 2025 4 min read

When a Fence Isn’t Where You Think It Is: “Agreed Boundaries”
December 4, 2025 5 min read

Texas Rule 167: Of Settlement Offers and Attorneys’ Fees
December 6, 2025 3 min read

When a Texas Divorce Can Be Reopened: The Little-Known “Bill of Review” Remedy in Family Law
December 8, 2025 5 min read

What a Jury Can Decide in a Texas Divorce Case (And What It Can’t)
December 9, 2025 4 min read

Texas’s New Eviction-Notice Rules: What Landlords & Property Managers Need to Know
December 10, 2025 5 min read

The Anatomy of a Bad Civil Case: How to Know When a Lawsuit Isn’t Worth Pursuing
December 12, 2025 6 min read

Voir Dire During Witness Examination: The Strange but Essential Trial Safeguard
December 15, 2025 6 min read

Texas Evictions + CARES Act “Covered Properties” — and the New Texas Property Code Clarification (Effective Jan. 1, 2026)
December 16, 2025 4 min read

Dormant Judgment Revival in Texas and the Impact of the 2003 Constitutional Amendment
December 18, 2025 3 min read

Post-Nuptial Clarity in an Evolving Marriage
December 19, 2025 5 min read

Mobile Home vs. Real Property in Texas: How (and Why) to “Affix” a Manufactured Home
December 22, 2025 4 min read

Timing Is Everything: Understanding Lawsuit Deadlines in Texas
December 23, 2025 3 min read

Assault as a Civil Cause of Action: It’s Not Just a Crime
December 29, 2025 2 min read

Adoption: When the Law Helps Build a Life
December 30, 2025 4 min read

Breach of Fiduciary Duty Under Texas Law: When Trust Is Abused
December 31, 2025 4 min read

Reconstitution of the Marital Estate After Wrongdoing in Texas Divorce Cases
January 2, 2026 4 min read

Who Can Represent a Business Entity in Texas (and Why It’s Still Confusing)
January 5, 2026 6 min read

Which Businesses Require the Most Legal Compliance Work? A Guide for Texas (and Beyond)
January 6, 2026 9 min read

Texas “Financial Advisor” Licensing and Registration: What’s Required Under Federal and Texas Law
January 7, 2026 5 min read

When Do You Actually Need a Board-Certified Lawyer in Texas—and What Board Certification Really Signals
January 8, 2026 4 min read

Partition Remedies Under Chapter 23 of the Texas Property Code
January 9, 2026 5 min read

What Is Marital Property Under Texas Law?
January 11, 2026 6 min read

What Is a Gift Under Federal Tax Law? Annual Limits, Lifetime Exemptions, and Gift Tax Reporting Explained
January 12, 2026 6 min read

Wrap Mortgage Loan Financing in Texas: Understanding Finance Code Chapter 159
January 13, 2026 5 min read

What Is Venue in a Lawsuit? Understanding Where a Case Must Be Filed
January 14, 2026 6 min read

Texas Evictions After the CARES Act: How New Texas Law “Reframes” a Federal 30-Day Notice Rule
January 15, 2026 8 min read

Is It Worth Contesting an Eviction in Texas?
January 15, 2026 4 min read

Do You Really Need a Revocable Living Trust in Texas?
January 16, 2026 5 min read

What Can and Cannot Be Negotiated in a Texas Divorce?
January 17, 2026 7 min read

Texas real property fraud: what to do if you suspect someone is “stealing” your property through fraudulent filings
January 19, 2026 5 min read

What a Judgment Really Means in Texas
January 20, 2026 5 min read

Why a Judgment Does Not Automatically Create a Lien on Your Property in Texas
January 21, 2026 5 min read

Is Property Still “Separate” After It’s Transferred Into an LLC?
January 22, 2026 4 min read

Rule 145 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure: Statements of Inability to Pay Court Costs
January 23, 2026 4 min read

Fraudulent Transfers Under the Texas Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act (TUFTA)
January 26, 2026 4 min read

Can Someone Really Take Your Land? Adverse Possession and “Squatters’ Rights” in Texas
January 27, 2026 4 min read

Texas Homestead Rights: What Actually Protects Your Home from Creditors?
January 28, 2026 3 min read

What Is a Lis Pendens in Texas?
January 29, 2026 4 min read

Can You Legally Record a Conversation in Texas?
January 30, 2026 4 min read

Spousal Maintenance vs. Contractual Alimony in Texas: What’s the Real Difference?
January 31, 2026 4 min read

Forum Selection Clauses in Texas: When Contract Language Dictates Where You Can Sue
February 2, 2026 4 min read

The Texas Declaratory Judgments Act: A Powerful Tool to Clarify Legal Rights Before Things Get Worse
in 8 days 4 min read

Rule 11 Agreements in Texas: When a Settlement Is (and Is Not) Enforceable
February 4, 2026 5 min read

How Texas Courts Punish Frivolous Lawsuits: Sanctions Under Rule 13 and Chapter 10
February 5, 2026 6 min read

Can a Texas Court Freeze Your Bank Account? Understanding Writs of Garnishment
February 6, 2026 6 min read

When a Contract Isn’t Enforceable: Understanding the Texas Statute of Frauds
February 7, 2026 6 min read

The Texas Right to Repair Act: What Homeowners and Contractors Need to Know Before Filing a Construction Lawsuit
February 9, 2026 6 min read

How to Appeal a Justice Court Case in Texas: Understanding Trial De Novo in County Court
February 9, 2026 4 min read

When Can a Texas Court Appoint a Receiver? Understanding Receivership Under Texas Law
7 days ago 6 min read

Texas Turnover Orders Help Creditors Collect Judgments
7 days ago 5 min read

How to Clear Your Criminal Record in Texas: Expunctions and Orders of Nondisclosure Explained
7 days ago 4 min read

Pre-Suit Discovery in Texas: When Can You Force Testimony Before Filing a Lawsuit?
6 days ago 7 min read

Texas Protective Orders and Restraining Orders: What You Need to Know Under Texas Law
6 days ago 4 min read

Can You Be Personally Liable for an LLC’s Debts in Texas?
6 days ago 6 min read

How Small Estate Affidavits Work in Texas: Avoiding Full Probate Under the Texas Estates Code
6 days ago 6 min read

What Property Is Exempt from Creditors in Texas? Understanding Judgment Debtor Protections Under Texas Law
5 days ago 4 min read

What Is a Texas Abstract of Judgment — And How Does It Create a Lien on Real Property?
5 days ago 5 min read

Can You Be Held Responsible for Your Spouse’s Debts in Texas?
5 days ago 5 min read

When a Will Is Found in a Drawer: Can a Handwritten or “Lost” Will Be Probated in Texas?
5 days ago 5 min read

Can You Refuse an Inheritance in Texas? Understanding “Disclaimers” Under the Texas Estates Code
4 days ago 7 min read

Do Demand Letters Matter in Texas? Understanding Pre-Suit Notice and Why It Can Affect Your Case
4 days ago 6 min read

Can You Fight a Subpoena in Texas? Understanding Motions to Quash and Protective Orders
4 days ago 5 min read

Can You Testify About What a Dead Person Promised You in Texas? Understanding the “Dead Man’s Rule”
4 days ago 6 min read

How to Clear a Clouded Title in Texas: Understanding Quiet Title and Trespass-to-Try-Title Lawsuits
3 days ago 7 min read

The Texas Recording Act: How Filing (or Failing to File) Documents Can Make or Break Your Property Rights
3 days ago 6 min read

Can Families Rewrite a Will in Texas? Understanding Family Settlement Agreements
3 days ago 6 min read

Interlocutory Appeals in Texas: When You Can Appeal Before Your Case Is Over
3 days ago 6 min read

How Business Records Affidavits Work in Texas: Using Rule 902(10) to Prove Your Case Without a Live Witness
6 hours ago 6 min read

When Can You Seek a Writ of Mandamus in Texas? Understanding Emergency Relief Under Texas Law