Business Broker Commissions
Husband and wife were getting divorced in California, and engaged a business broker to sell husband’s business in California and Texas. Divorce was settled, awarding the business to husband, and Broker claimed $650k in commissions based on the assumed “sale” of the wife’s interest in the business. After a two day hearing, Arbitrator awarded nothing to a business broker against firm’s client wife.

Walter Law Firm, PC named to the prestigious University of Houston Cougar 100, listing the top 100 fastest growing firms owned or operated by University of Houston graduates

Title to Real Estate
After a one day trial, firm’s client was awarded full title to a commercial lot, and attorneys’ fees, based on terms of a contract, and client’s adverse possession.

Ms. Walter gave a presentation on Common Title Problems and How to Solve them to the Real Estate Investor Summit.

Title to Real Estate
After a one day trial, firm’s client was awarded full title to a house, and attorneys’ fees, based on an oral contract.

Promissory Note and Release of Deeds of Trust
After payment, lender refused to release liens on property. After a 1 day trial, judgment was entered for client declaring liens invalid, and awarding attorneys’ fees. Trial court’s decision was later affirmed on appeal.

No interference with child custody
A no evidence summary judgment was awarded in favor of client, and awarding attorneys’ fees.

Sanctions Judgment
Suit by opposing party against client who was lawyer for the other side. Court entered take nothing judgment, and awarded $18,000 as sanctions for filing a groundless suit.

Temporary Injunction
Dispute between shareholders of a small corporation, arising from the 75% shareholder’s continuous demands for distributions and company payment of his personal debts and obligations. Temporary Injunction denied the majority shareholder any power to direct employees, vendors or clients of the company, to make changes to the board or directors, and from access to the business premises until the case is resolved.

Declaratory Judgment – Fraudulent Deed
Son in law forged a deed to house owned by client, who was his mother in law, transferring the property to his wife, then forced his wife to sign a deed transferring the house to a limited liability company owned by him. The deed to the company was declared void, and client recovered a judgment for the house and attorney’s fees.

Pre Judgment Garnishment
Pre Judgment Garnishment and judgment obtained for client whose husband had moved $500,000 in separate property out of a joint account, threatening to take the money out of the country. The garnishment stopped the transfer, and husband did not answer the suit, resulting in a default judgment in the client’s favor.

Foreclosure of Mechanic’s Lien
Filed Mechanic’s lien for a contractor client whose work was not paid for, and obtained a judgment foreclosing the lien and granting attorneys fees.

Deceptive Trade Practices / Breach of Contract – Surveyor
Jury Trial resulted in a judgment in favor or customer of surveyor, where survey company’s employee accepted payment for project, kept the funds personally; survey company refused to perform the work.

Title Company Missed Tax Lien
Title company closed the sale of a vacant lot for a Trust client, and required the individual beneficiaries to sign a Warranty Deed to the buyer. Later, the property was foreclosed due to an unpaid tax lien which all parties believed had been paid at closing. Title company sued the Trust and the individual beneficiaries seeking to recover the $200,000 value of the property. After discovery the case was settled by client’s release of the excess proceeds of the tax sale.

Fraudulent Deed
Bench Trial resulted in judgment in favor of property owner who agreed to purchase a house for a couple who could not qualify for a mortgage. Couple was to get their own financing and purchase the house in a year, after credit was improved. Later, two forged deeds were filed purporting to grant title to the couple. After trial, title was restored to client, along with a judgment of more than $37,000.00.

Deceptive Trade Practices – Realtor
Bench Trial resulted in a judgment in favor of home buyer for the amount of her realtor’s commission on the purchase, where home buyer did not receive title.

Collections, Sale of Goods – Settled
Settlement resulted in a total payment to the firm’s client of $130,000.00

Judgment Affirmed – Real Estate Title
The First Court of Appeals affirmed a summary judgment in favor of the firm’s client, confirming her title to a house she purchased, and awarding her attorneys fees as an offset to the remaining debt on the property.

Sanctions Overturned – Restrictive Covenants
The First Court of Appeals reversed the trial court decision which had awarded $120,000.00 in sanctions and an injunction against the firm’s client.

Mechanic’s Lien – Settled
A case filed to enforce a mechanic’s lien filed on behalf of a client was settled, resulting in a payment to the firm’s client of $40,000.00.

DTPA – Custom Leather Coat
Ms. Walter prevailed in a jury trial over a custom leather coat which was misrepresented to the firm’s client.

Houstonia Magazine featured Teri A. Walter as one of Houston’s Top Lawyers, Litigation

DTPA – Air conditioning Contractor
The firm settled a DTPA case against an air conditioning contractor, awarding $68,500.00 to our client for their damages and attorneys fees.

Houstonia Magazine featured Teri A. Walter as one of Houston’s Top Lawyers, Litigation

Ms. Walter is named President of the Texas Association of Civil Trial and Appellate Specialists

The firm collected a judgment for approximately $526,000.00.

Promissory Notes, Limited Partnership, Fraud
Clients lent money and invested in a purported limited partnership which owned a storage facility. Borrower defaulted on a series of Promissory notes (purportedly secured by the storage facility); Limited Partnership was found not to exist. Obtained summary judgment for more than $500,000.00, which included $200,000.00 in punitive damages.

Houstonia Magazine featured Teri A. Walter as one of Houston’s Top Lawyers, Litigation

Houstonia Magazine featured Teri A. Walter as one of Houston’s Top Lawyers, Litigation

The firm moved to new, larger space at 1111 North Loop West Suite 1115, Houston, TX 77008

DTPA – Roofing leak
Represented homeowner who had roof replaced. New roof leaked from the date of installation, but roofing company refused to replace or repair, despite an 8 year warranty, and the company’s own inspection confirmed the leak. Court awarded the full cost of replacement roof, plus interest, court costs and attorneys’ fees.

Partition of Real Property
Represented widower who had inherited ½ interest in house from his deceased wife. The wife’s ex-husband sued for child support not previously awarded, attempting to acquire Widower’s interest in house. Court found that widower had a ½ interest in the property.

No Breach of Commercial Lease, no fraud
Represented landowner in suit by tenant alleging that landlord’s refusal to grant a substantial utility easement over landlord’s property, for the benefit of tenant’s adjoining property. After a three day trial, jury found in favor of landowner on all counts.

Collections – Summary Judgment Affirmed
The 14th Court of Appeals Affirmed a Summary Judgment in favor of creditor client in a collections matter; Judgment was paid in full out of funds escrowed from sale of debtor’s property.

Collections/Lender Liability
Represented Bank in promissory note deficiency case with lender liability counterclaim in excess of $2M. Case settled on the third day of trial.

No fraudulent lien
Represented ex-wife in claim by ex-husband of fraudulent lien. After a 3 day trial, the jury found that a notice of unpaid child support lien was not fraudulent for mentioning a property which ex-husband claimed was homestead.

No contract with church
Represented Defendant Church which had been convinced to sign a “contact” to provide lifetime pay to deceased pastor’s wife without receiving any consideration. After jury trial, case was settled for 10% of the amount demanded.

Ms. Walter receives Woman of Excellence Award from the Federation of Houston Professional Women

Builder – fraud in settling construction defects claim
Represented buyer of a new home that had significant plumbing problems. Builder agreed to buy the house back, then refused to close. After three day trial, jury unanimously found that builder had breached the settlement agreement, and had fraudulently induced buyer to settle, and awarded full value of settlement, plus

Ms. Walter accepts position as Treasurer of the Federation of Houston Professional Women

Neighbor wants house moved
Client’s neighbor sued, claiming Client’s house was constructed in the wrong location, encroaching on the neighbor’s property. Neighbor wanted the house moved 13 feet to the east, at an estimated cost of more than $100,000.00. After a one day trial, the court found in favor of Client.

Lender Liability / Deceptive Trade Practices
Represented bank in suit by borrower claiming Deceptive Trade Practices as a result of truck repossession. The parties entered into an Agreed Judgment in favor of bank after investigation revealed that documents submitted in support of borrower’s claims were forged.

Teri A Walter accepts position as President of the Association of Women Attorneys.

Slip and Fall; apartment stairway
Plaintiff slipped and fell on an apartment stairway, breaking her elbow, and sought in excess of $660,000.00 in damages. After a three day jury trial, the court awarded a judgment in the amount of only $10,575.16 against the firm’s client, the apartment complex.

Teri A. Walter becomes Board Certified in Civil Trial Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Home Remodeling/Mold Remediation
Deceptive Trade, Theft, Contract Plaintiff made multiple claims against the firm’s client, a remodeling company, in connection with a contract to remediate mold and remodel Plaintiff’s house, seeking a total of $144,000.00 in damages. After a three day jury trial, the court found against Plaintiff and in favor of Client on all
counts.

Non-payment of sales taxes on computer software
After a one day trial, the court awarded judgment in favor of the firm’s client, a software vendor, in the amount of $1,745.97, plus attorneys fees, for unpaid sales taxes.

Appeals Court Affirms Judgment on misplaced fence
Texas Court of Civil Appeals, 13th District, Affirms the judgment of the trial court in favor of the firm’s client, whose neighbor claimed to own a part of Client’s lot due to a fence which was not on the property line.

House returned to Heirs
Texas Court of Civil Appeals, 13th District reverses and renders the decision of the trial court, resulting in the firm’s clients regaining ownership of property in Wharton County. Property had belonged to their grandmother, and was claimed by a stranger who received a deed from the grandmother’s Guardian, who deeded the property without court approval.

Teri A Walter elected President Elect of the Association of Women Attorneys.

Improper platting
Represented Seller of real property in suit by developer/Buyer alleging that the property had been improperly platted, making it impossible to build the townhouses which had been designed for the site. After completion of discovery, case settled for 1% of the amount demanded.

Teri A Walter elected Treasurer of the Association of Women Attorneys.

Unpaid Construction Costs
After a one day trial, the court awarded judgment in favor of the firm’s client, a construction company, the amount of $32,326.75 for unpaid construction costs.

Walter Law Firm, P.C. is Certified as a Woman-Owned Business by the Womens Business Enterprise Alliance.

Fence placement does not create ownership
After a 2 day jury trial, the court awards judgment in favor of the firm’s client. Client sought to regain possession of the property deeded to her, which her next-door neighbor claimed was hers due to a fence which was not placed on the property line.

Homebuilder Limited Partnership
Represented Defendant homebuilder against claims by a limited partner for breach of contract, fraud and negligence. After completion of discovery, Court awarded Summary Judgment in favor of homebuilder, and claimant surrendered her limited partnership interest in settlement of homebuilder’s counterclaim.

Ms. Walter receives Movers and Shakers award from the Greater Southwest Houston Chamber of Commerce

Pipe threading machine injury
Plaintiff sought damages of $50,000 due to a hand injury on a pipe threading machine. After a two day jury trial, the court finds that the firm’s client, Plaintiff’s employer, was not responsible for the injuries.

Car Wreck
After a one day trial, the court awards a judgment of to the Plaintiffs in connection with injuries they sustained in a car accident with the firm’s client. Plaintiffs had sought a total of $130,000.00, but received $7,500.00

Engineering Negligence
After a one day trial, the court finds that the firm’s client, an engineering company, was not negligent in connection with a structural engineering inspection for the Plaintiffs. Plaintiffs had sought damages of $46,000.00 for loss of value and estimated repair costs for their home.

Premises liability – injured in robbery
Plaintiff had sought damages of $31,000.00 for injuries suffered during a robbery at an apartment complex. After a three day jury trial, the court finds that the firm’s client, the apartment complex, was not responsible for the injuries.

Home Inspector; Deceptive Trade Practices
Plaintiffs sued a home inspector, along with the seller and real estate agent, alleging violation of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act. Plaintiffs alleged that the defendants had represented the foundation to be a slab; the foundation was actually a pier & beam foundation, in which the sellers had filled the crawl space filled with concrete, and sought damages of $90,000.00. During the 2nd day of a jury trial, the court awards a directed verdict, finding no liability against the firm’s client, the home inspector.

Contractual Child support from Estate
The Court of Civil Appeals holds that the firm’s client, mother of a child whose father was deceased, should receive contractual child support from the deceased father’s estate, in compliance with a court order entered before the father’s death.

Walter, Burdzinski & Company, L.L.P. begins serving clients from its offices at 3730 Kirby Suite 520, Houston, Texas, with partners Teri A. Walter and M. Edward Burdzinski