The New Texas Business Court

Houston Metropolitan Paralegal Association

Join HMPA for a session with the Honorable Grant Dorfman, presiding judge of the Texas Business Court Eleventh Division, to learn the origins and purpose of the new Texas Business Court, top 10 teaching take-aways and practice tips, including unique jurisdictional requirements, and recent legislative changes.

Learning objectives:

1.) Analyze the legislative and economic motivations behind the creation of the Texas Business Court, including how concerns about complex commercial litigation, judicial expertise, and business climate competitiveness influenced the passage of Texas House Bill 19 (88th Texas Legislature).

2.) Explain the structural design and jurisdiction of the Texas Business Court, including the types of complex business disputes it was intended to hear and how its jurisdiction differs from traditional Texas district courts.

3.) Evaluate the policy goals behind establishing the Texas Business Court, such as increasing efficiency in commercial litigation, promoting consistency in rulings, and strengthening Texas’s attractiveness as a venue for business formation and dispute resolution.

Session agenda: HMPA-04-14-2026-CLE-Flyer-Hon-Grant-Dorfman.pdf

CLE Hours = 1 Substantive