civil litigation Tag Archives

Published on: April 1, 2019

Breach of Contract Cases and Related Defenses

Guest and Gray Law Firm has handled hundreds of breach of contract and related civil litigation matters for Kaufman, Dallas and Rockwall County clients, with great success and efficiency.

Hiring counsel that understands that complexities of civil litigation and the necessity of doing things right the first time in order to obtain the best possible results for our clients.

In the vast majority of cases, people enter into contracts expecting to hold up their end of the bargain. Life, and business, have a way of altering performance in the real world. Whether you are a breach of contract Plaintiff or Defendant, you need counsel that can properly present your case before a judge and jury.

Published on: January 31, 2019

Civil Litigation in Kaufman County

by Guest and Gray Law Firm

For many folks in Kaufman County, they will never have to deal with the stress and costs associated with civil litigation. However, if you are a small business owner, the chances of litigation will probably go way up. Either you are going to need to sue someone, or they are going to sue you. In today’s world, it is almost an inevitability that if you do business long enough, you will be involved in litigation at some point. Still, for most people, there is still a lot of potential out there for litigation to occur.

Own some rental property? You will probably have to evict someone at some point. Drive a car? It is always possible that you could cause an accident and get yourself sued. Planning on having some work done on your home, or to build a home? You may end up having to sue a contractor or two.

Listen, the fact is this: lawsuits happen. Deals go sideways. When they do, you need to know who to call. Guest and Gray law firm is the highest and best rated local law firm. Our firm handles various forms of civil litigation, from general breach of contract claims, to real estate issues, landlord-tenant claims, fraud, personal injury, business and commercial litigation, and much more.

Published on: October 31, 2018

Should I Even Bother Filing Suit? One Lawyer’s Take on a Commonly Asked Question

by Guest and Gray Law Firm

This is a question that I am asked over and over in my practice: Should I even bother?

It is a good question. A valid question. Why? Because filing suit, hiring attorneys and spending the next year (or more) and thousands of dollars in litigation is not something that should be taken lightly.

So, how do I answer the question? I answer by asking questions. Mainly, it is three questions, with several sub-questions that follow: How much is the case worth?; Who are we suing?; and is there an alternative to filing suit? Once we answer these questions and their follow up questions, I can usually put together a case plan tailored to your case that will help us determine what steps to take first, including whether or not you should even bother filing suit.

Published on: June 28, 2018

Guest and Gray: Exceeding Expectations

by Guest and Gray Law Firm

At Guest and Gray, we know that if you are in an attorney’s office, typically that means something has gone wrong. You have been arrested. Injured in an accident. Marital problems. You have been sued. We understand the stress that is involved in each case and we seek to take that stress away and make your problems OUR problems.

Guest and Gray did not become the largest and highest reviewed law firm in Kaufman and Rockwall counties by mistake or accident. It was through hard work and dedication to our clients. It was done by consistently exceeding our clients expectations for their case. We cannot promise victory. In many cases, regardless of outcome, there is no “victory”, only resolution. Our promise to you is that we will work hard for you in order to obtain the best possible outcome for your situation. That is the only guarantee we can give.

Each case is important because attached to each case is a real person. No matter how many clients or how many cases we have, your case is important to us. Our caring support staff and experienced attorneys will fight hard for you each step of the way.

Published on: April 6, 2018

Rockwall Civil Litigation Attorneys: Guest and Gray, P.C.

by Guest and Gray Law Firm

Rockwall is a destination for residents and businesses alike. Rockwall has it all. High end living, great places to eat, Lake Ray Hubbard, easy access to Dallas and East Texas. Overall, it is a great place to live and raise a family. It is also a great place to start a business because of the high population density in Rockwall and the fact that it is a hub for several major interstates and highways.

Guest and Gray, P.C. is the largest and highest rated law firm in Kaufman and Rockwall counties. Our staff of attorneys is dedicated to serving the Rockwall area. We are the local, trusted law firm who has represented hundreds of Rockwall county residents over the years in various legal disputes.

We are a full service law firm practicing in the following areas of law in Rockwall County, Texas:

Published on: April 6, 2018

Terrell Civil Litigation Attorneys: Guest and Gray, P.C.

by Robert Guest

Guest and Gray, P.C. is a the largest local law firm in the Kaufman, Forney and Terrell areas. We are also the largest firm in Rockwall county. With over 100 years of combined legal experience, Guest and Gray, P.C. is prepared to handle almost any legal matter that you may have.

Terrell is a city on the rise. The city planning and Economic Development corp, Terrell America, have done a fantastic job of bringing business into the city. This means new jobs and new jobs will mean new residents. Terrell, like all of Kaufman county, is growing at a rapid pace. Terrell is becoming the East Texas hub that it once was when our parents were growing up. I remember my grandparents telling me about how they used to come in from East Texas just to go eat or shop in Terrell. Terrell is becoming that city once again.

Guest and Gray, P.C. is committed to the businesses and residents of Terrell and Kaufman county, and we are here to serve in numerous legal capacities. We are a full service law firm dedicated to providing the best legal representation around. Whether it be general civil litigation, such as contract or real estate disputes, or estate planning, probate and contested Wills. We even handle the more complex cases that most smaller and solo firms won’t handle, such as breach of fiduciary duty, wrongful death, complex real estate disputes, mergers and acquisitions, asset sales agreements, and general counsel services. You name it, Guest and Gray, P.C. has an attorney who can guide you through the legal process.

Published on: April 6, 2018

Hunt County Civil Litigation

by Guest and Gray Law Firm

Hunt County is a mostly rural county. Everyone knows that Greenville is exploding in size, but what people do not know is that the rest of the county is getting ready to catch up. The people are great and the cities and towns bring back memories of what Texas was like growing up. But even Hunt County simply cannot escape the growth in nearby Dallas, Collin and Rockwall counties. Between 2014-2015 and 2015-2016, Hunt County’s year over year growth spiked from just over 1.2% to 2.48%. Similar growth has continued in the county in 2017 and early 2018 so far.

As a lawyer, what I see coming for Hunt county is increased traffic and traffic accidents and an uptick in civil litigation. Residential growth always leads to commercial growth. Both of those lead to civil litigation, such as real estate and breach of contract litigation. When most people think of hiring a lawyer, their first thought is “I need a Dallas lawyer!”

However, that is simply not the case. Hunt county has numerous attorneys who are capable handling any of your civil litigation needs. Guest and Gray, P.C. is a law firm based out of Kaufman and Rockwall counties that seeks to represent people in civil litigation matters all across East and Northeast Texas, including: Kaufman, Rockwall, Hunt, Anderson, Henderson, Hopkins, Lamar, Rains, Rusk, Smith, and Van Zandt county areas.

Published on: April 6, 2018

Guest and Gray, P.C.: Kaufman County Civil Litigation Attorneys

by Guest and Gray Law Firm

Guest and Gray, P.C. is not only the largest law firm in Kaufman county, we are one of the only full service law firms this side of Dallas. We are the firm to call if you have been injured in an accident, have child custody or divorce questions, need an estate plan or Will, have been sued under a contract or other breach of duty, and many more. Guest and Gray, P.C. has nine attorneys and over 100 years of combined legal experience.

We are trial seasoned and trial ready attorneys who are ready and willing to fight for your rights. Whether it be fighting for Kaufman county residents against forced annexation or fighting voter fraud in our local elections, Guest and Gray, P.C. is here for our local community in ways that no other law firm has done before. We have represented literally thousands of local residents in both civil and criminal matters. No one else can say that. That is why we are the largest and highest rated law firm in Kaufman county.

Have a Civil Matter in Kaufman County? Call Guest and Gray Today! (972) 564-4644.

Published on: February 13, 2018

Civil Litigation: Affirmative Defenses

by Guest and Gray Law Firm

When speaking with an attorney about how to defend yourself in a lawsuit, or how the defense may counter any claims they may bring as a plaintiff, you need to be informed of the different kinds of defenses the other side may have. One type of defense is called an “affirmative defense”. An affirmative defense is different from a general denial. A general denial. A general denial, in its most basic form, puts all the allegations in the plaintiff’s original petition at issue. That is why it is called a “general denial” because you are denying each and every, all and singular claims that the Plaintiff has brought against you. By filing a general denial, you have “answered the cause” and the Plaintiff will then be required to prove each and every element of his claims. In addition to the general denial, you may also bring affirmative defenses as well in the same Answer with the court. In some cases, it may also be required that you answer “with specificity” and you may do so by naming specific claims that the Plaintiff has brought against you and deny each of those claims individually and present facts in your Answer that support those specific denials. However, this article focuses on affirmative defenses, how they can be used and why they can be so effective. If you have any questions about any defenses you may have after you have been sued, contact the experienced civil litigators at Guest and Gray, P.C.

WHAT IS AN AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE?

An affirmative defense “seeks to establish an independent reason that the plaintiff should not recover” and is “thus [a defense] of avoidance, rather than a defense in denial”; that is, it is a defense of confession and avoidance. In re C.M., 996 S.W.2d 269, 270 (Tex. App.—Houston [1st Dist.] 1999, no pet.); Great Am. Prods. v. Permabond Int’l, 94 S.W.3d 675, 683 (Tex. App.—Austin 2002, pet. denied).

Published on: November 6, 2017

Guest and Gray: The Largest and Most Highly Rated Local Law Firm

by Guest and Gray Law Firm

Guest and Gray, P.C. is proud to be the largest and most highly rated law firm in Rockwall and Kaufman counties. A big reason for that is we offer a wide variety legal services and unparalleled customer service.We are longtime faces in the community and our most of our attorneys grew up right here in Kaufman and Rockwall county. The benefits you receive from a law firm like ours is that you have the resources of a larger firm but in your hometown. So, if you have legal problem and do not know where to turn, you need to turn to Guest and Gray, P.C. Our focus is first and foremost on the client and fighting to obtain the best possible outcome for your case.

We are also the largest law firm in Rockwall and Kaufman counties and because of that we have the resources and staff to help our clients in manner different types of legal issues. We have attorneys dedicated to different types of practices as opposed to a solo practitioner who practices about 10 different areas of law everyday. We call ourselves a “full-service” law firm for a reason. We feel that the size of the firm and the fully staff offices provide clients with excellent representation to meet your legal needs, no matter what the case.

What Does It Mean To Be a Full Service Law Firm?