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On March 1, 2025, the Texas Business Court (the “Business Court”) implemented new local rules aimed at enhancing the efficiency and fairness of business dispute resolutions. Key changes include new provisions involving exchanging benches, supplemental jurisdiction waivers, corporate disclosure requirements, streamlined discovery dispute procedures, the concept of a Mediation Wheel, and a new guideline for the use of artificial intelligence. These rules, unanimously approved by all ten judges, mark a significant shift in the Business Court’s operational framework.

The Wall Street Journal reported on January 31, 2025, that Meta Platforms Inc. (formerly Facebook) (NASDAQ: META) was considering a change of its state of incorporation from Delaware to Texas.

On September 1, 2024, a notable change occurred in the Texas legal landscape with the official launch of the new Texas Business Courts. Created through House Bill 19, which was signed into law on June 9, 2023, these 11 civil courts aim to provide a specialized venue for trials, specifically those resolving significant, complex commercial disputes. They also seek to streamline cases away from the burdened district courts.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott continues to announce the first wave of judicial appointees to the Texas Business Courts and the intermediate court of appeals which will oversee them—all of which are slated to go into effect on September 1, 2024.

Texas’ new business court, which the state hopes will make complex litigation more efficient, opens in less than four months. And while there’s still uncertainty about how the court will operate, its structure and the Texas legislature’s mandate can help answer key questions.