Austin, September 26, 2025
News Summary
In its first year, the Texas Business Court handled 184 cases across five divisions, with Houston and Dallas leading in filings. The court employed the ‘exchange of benches’ procedure to manage caseloads and ensure efficiency. The strategic reassignments from busier to lighter dockets aim at enhancing the handling of complex commercial disputes. This operational efficiency is expected to further attract more legislative support as it establishes itself as a reliable forum for significant business litigation.
Austin — In its first year of operation, the Texas Business Court saw a total of 184 cases filed across its five divisions. The majority of cases were filed in the Eleventh Division (Houston) with 79 cases, and the First Division (Dallas) had 52 cases filed. Other divisions saw smaller totals, with the Eighth Division (Fort Worth) handling 20 cases and both the Third Division (Austin) and the Fourth Division (San Antonio) each receiving 17 cases.
Key developments and case-management practices
The court continued to utilize the “exchange of benches” procedure to efficiently manage case assignments. There were 17 bench exchanges for cases filed between September 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. Judge Dorfman, the presiding judge, reassigned cases in only seven instances since April 2025. All exchanged cases since April originated from the Eleventh Division and were assigned to judges in the Third, Fourth, and Eighth Divisions.
The bench exchange is intended to keep division dockets manageable and provide adequate attention to complex cases. As a result, litigants in the Eleventh Division should expect possible reassignments to divisions with lighter dockets. The procedure has been used as an operational tool to balance workload across the five divisions while preserving the court’s ability to focus on complicated commercial disputes.
Impacts on litigation and venue selection
The Texas Business Court is geared towards establishing a reliable forum for complex commercial and corporate governance disputes. Its operations in the inaugural year have steadily led to significant case opinions and legal precedents emerging from its rulings. That steady production of opinions and the court’s efficiency have contributed to expectations of more legislative support, as the Texas Legislature recognizes the court’s efficiency and intent to handle business litigation.
As these trends continue, the court is perceived as a potentially attractive venue for dealing with significant commercial disputes in the state. Practitioners and litigants evaluating forum selection and case strategy may consider the new court’s docket patterns, the exchange-of-benches procedure, and the concentration of filings in certain divisions when making filings or anticipating case progress.
Distribution of filings
The case distribution aligns with previous reviews from the court’s initial seven months, confirming the concentration of filings in Houston and Dallas. The detailed breakdown is as follows:
- Eleventh Division (Houston): 79 cases
- First Division (Dallas): 52 cases
- Eighth Division (Fort Worth): 20 cases
- Third Division (Austin): 17 cases
- Fourth Division (San Antonio): 17 cases
Operational context and next steps
In its initial year the court tested assignment and workload management mechanisms that will shape how it handles future influxes of complex business litigation. Continued monitoring of division dockets and the outcomes of exchanged cases will inform any operational changes and potential legislative action to support the court’s objectives.
FAQ
- How many cases were filed in the court’s first year?
- In its first year of operation, the Texas Business Court saw a total of 184 cases filed across its five divisions.
- Which division received the most filings?
- The majority of cases were filed in the Eleventh Division (Houston) with 79 cases.
- How many cases were filed in the First Division?
- The First Division (Dallas) had 52 cases filed.
- What were the case totals for the other divisions?
- Other divisions saw the following case distributions:
- Eighth Division (Fort Worth): 20 cases
- Third Division (Austin): 17 cases
- Fourth Division (San Antonio): 17 cases
- Did the court use any special procedures to manage assignments?
- The court continued to utilize the “exchange of benches” procedure to efficiently manage case assignments.
- How many bench exchanges occurred for cases filed between September 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025?
- There were 17 bench exchanges for cases filed between September 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025.
- How often did the presiding judge reassign cases since April 2025?
- Judge Dorfman, the presiding judge, reassigned cases in only seven instances since April 2025.
- Where did exchanged cases since April originate and where were they assigned?
- All exchanged cases since April originated from the Eleventh Division and were assigned to judges in the Third, Fourth, and Eighth Divisions.
- What is the goal of the bench exchange procedure?
- The goal of the bench exchange is to keep division dockets manageable and provide adequate attention to complex cases.
- What should litigants in the Eleventh Division expect?
- Litigants in the Eleventh Division should expect possible reassignments to divisions with lighter dockets.
- What is the court geared toward handling?
- The Texas Business Court is geared towards establishing a reliable forum for complex commercial and corporate governance disputes.
- What outcomes have emerged from the court’s operations?
- The court’s operations have steadily led to significant case opinions and legal precedents emerging from its rulings.
- Is more legislative support expected?
- More legislative support is expected as the Texas Legislature recognizes the court’s efficiency and intent to handle business litigation.
- How is the court perceived for handling commercial disputes?
- The court is perceived as a potentially attractive venue for dealing with significant commercial disputes in the state.
Division case totals and bench exchange summary
| Division | City | Cases Filed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eleventh Division | Houston | 79 | Source of all exchanged cases since April |
| First Division | Dallas | 52 | Second-highest filings |
| Eighth Division | Fort Worth | 20 | Recipient of exchanged cases |
| Third Division | Austin | 17 | Recipient of exchanged cases |
| Fourth Division | San Antonio | 17 | Recipient of exchanged cases |
| Total, all divisions | 184 | In its first year of operation | |
| Bench exchanges (Sept 1, 2024 – Mar 31, 2025) | 17 | ||
| Reassignments by presiding judge (since April 2025) | 7 | ||
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Additional Resources
- Norton Rose Fulbright: Where the Texas Business Court Stands After Year One
- Texas Lawyer: A Year in Review: Highlights from the Texas Business Court’s Inaugural Year
- Vinson & Elkins: Texas Business Court’s Quarterly Update Q1 and Q2 2025
- JD Supra: Texas Business Courts Get Power to…
- Google Search: Texas Business Court
- Wikipedia: Texas Business Court
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DALLAS STAFF WRITER The DALLAS STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREDallas.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Dallas, Dallas County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as the State Fair of Texas, Deep Ellum Arts Festival, and Dallas International Film Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Dallas Regional Chamber and United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, plus leading businesses in telecommunications, aviation, and semiconductors that power the local economy such as AT&T, Southwest Airlines, and Texas Instruments. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREAustinTX.com, HERECollegeStation.com, HEREHouston.com, and HERESanAntonio.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Texas's dynamic landscape.
