Business Disputes in Texas Courts

Commercial litigation attorneys handle business disputes, such as contract breaches, ownership conflicts, payment failures, fiduciary duty claims, trade practice violations, and related matters that create financial exposure or threaten a company’s ability to operate. In Texas, those disputes may be resolved in a standard district court or, in high-value matters meeting specific criteria, in the Texas Business Court.

Contract Cases 

Contract disputes account for a large share of commercial litigation matters because nearly every business relationship is governed by a written agreement. A lawsuit may focus on whether a party failed to perform, delivered defective work, missed a deadline, refused payment, or violated a confidentiality agreement. Common types of contract disputes include:

• Breach of contract: One party says the other failed to perform as required by the agreement.
• Collection and payment disputes: One business claims it is owed money for goods, services, or completed work.
• Vendor and service conflicts: A supplier, consultant, or contractor is accused of delay, nonperformance, or poor performance.

Internal Business Conflicts

Some of the hardest cases come from inside the company. Owners, shareholders, members, and partners often disagree about control, profit distributions, access to records, or whether someone breached a duty to the business. In Texas, the Business Organizations Code applies to corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and other filing entities, so many internal disputes arise from formation documents, governance rules, and ownership rights. Some disputes include:

• Partnership and shareholder disputes: Owners or shareholders disagree about control, buyouts, voting rights, or management decisions.
• Fiduciary duty claims: One owner or manager is accused of putting personal interests ahead of the company.
• Business divorce matters: The parties no longer wish to continue operating together and must unwind the relationship.

Property, Construction, and Trade Disputes

Commercial cases are not limited to contracts and ownership fights. Many involve real estate, development projects, and unfair business conduct. A landlord and tenant may fight over lease duties, or a developer may claim shoddy work delayed a construction project. A company may accuse a competitor of misuse of confidential information or unfair trade practices. 

The Texas Business Court

Texas created a specialized Business Court in 2024 to handle certain high-value commercial disputes that benefit from judges with focused experience in complex business matters. Not every company conflict qualifies for this forum, as cases must meet specific jurisdictional criteria, generally involving amounts in controversy above $5 million for most cases, reduced from $10 million effective September 2025, along with subject matter tied to governance, fiduciary duty, securities, or actions arising under the Texas Business Organizations Code. Cases involving publicly traded companies may qualify regardless of the amount in dispute.

When a case meets those thresholds, filing in the Business Court rather than a standard district court can mean a more predictable docket, a judge with relevant commercial experience, and a process designed for disputes of this complexity. Commercial litigation attorneys are familiar with the Business Court’s requirements and file cases there when the facts and value of the dispute support it.

Our Commercial Litigation Lawyers Are Ready to Go to Court on Your Behalf

Our commercial litigation attorneys handle the disputes that threaten a company’s contracts, cash flow, ownership structure, and ability to keep operating. Murrah & Killough, PLLC, handles commercial litigation throughout the Greater Houston area, and our team can evaluate your dispute and explain your options under Texas law. Find out more by calling (281) 501-1601 or using our online contact form.