Texas Supreme Court Vacates Multi-million Dollar Libel Judgment and Injunction in Lawsuit Between Two Brothers
Ending a hard-fought battle between two brothers over the operation of a family funeral home and cemetery, on August 29, 2014, the Texas Supreme Court in Burbage v. Burbage completed the reversal of a $9.5 million jury award against Chad Burbage for allegedly libeling his brother Kirk and the family business. The Supreme Court held that there was no evidence to support the damage award, and that the trial court’s injunction prohibiting Chad from criticizing his brother or the business in the future was an impermissible prior restraint on free speech. Chad Burbage was represented by GDHM attorneys Pete Kennedy and Bill Christian as part of the firm’s long-standing commitment to pro bono work.