kassab_analytics: issues: 4 rows where relevance = "High"

10 substantive and procedural issues litigated at trial

Data license: Public court records

4 rows where relevance = "High"

Search:

descending

issue_id ▼	name	cluster	relevance	summary	kassab_position	pohl_position	result	appellate_status	authorities
1	TCPA Applicability to Barratry Claims	Threshold	High	TCPA motion denied at trial court, affirmed on appeal, SCOTX denied review.	Pohl’s claims based on Kassab’s exercise of right to petition; communications protected under TCPA.	Claims not based on protected activity but on illegal conduct (barratry); commercial speech exception applies.	Trial court denied TCPA MTD. 1st COA affirmed (Sep 2020). SCOTX denied review (Feb 2021).	Fully resolved. TCPA inapplicable to barratry-based claims in this context.	Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code ch. 27; Adams v. Starside Custom Builders, 547 S.W.3d 890 (Tex. 2018); Kassab v. Pohl, No. 01-18-01143-CV (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 2020, pet. denied).
2	Summary Judgment on Barratry Liability	Substantive	High	Kassab filed 3 MSJs (all denied); Pohl’s barratry partial MSJ went to trial.	No barratry occurred; client solicitation was proper marketing; no prohibited direct contact.	Undisputed evidence showed prohibited solicitation of clients within 31 days of incidents; per se violation of Penal Code § 38.12.	All Kassab MSJs denied. Pohl’s barratry MSJ proceeded to trial. Jury found barratry.	On appeal (1st COA No. 01-24-00220-CV). Opening brief filed Jan 2025.	Tex. Penal Code § 38.12; Tex. Gov’t Code § 82.065; Tex. R. Civ. P. 166a.
4	Responsible Third-Party Designations	Damages	High	Kassab filed 4 RTP motions; only Favre/Precision designation granted (Aug 2023, one week before trial).	Settled co-defendants Favre and Precision Marketing bore proportionate responsibility for Pohl’s damages.	RTP designation untimely, procedurally improper, and designed to confuse jury on proportionate responsibility.	RTP designation of Favre/Precision granted Aug 14, 2023 (Kassab’s only procedural win). Jury still found Kassab liable.	May be challenged on appeal (timing/prejudice). Jury verdict mooted practical effect.	Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 33.004; Tex. R. Civ. P. 194.
6	Exemplary Damages (Unanimous Finding)	Damages	High	$3M exemplary damages awarded unanimously by jury (2x compensatory).	Conduct did not rise to level warranting exemplary damages; ratio excessive.	Kassab’s conduct was knowing, intentional, and malicious; barratry is inherently egregious conduct justifying punitive award.	$3,000,000 exemplary damages (unanimous). Approximately 2x compensatory. Court entered judgment on verdict.	Under appeal. Kassab challenges ratio and evidentiary support.	Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 41.003; BMW of N. Am., Inc. v. Gore, 517 U.S. 559 (1996).

Advanced export

JSON shape: default, array, newline-delimited, object

CREATE TABLE issues (
    issue_id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY,
    name TEXT,
    cluster TEXT,
    relevance TEXT,
    summary TEXT,
    kassab_position TEXT,
    pohl_position TEXT,
    result TEXT,
    appellate_status TEXT,
    authorities TEXT
);

Issue Matrix

4 rows where relevance = "High"

Advanced export