Trial Experience · John W. Raley III
A courtroom record you can look up.
For more than 40 years, John Raley has tried cases to verdict as lead trial counsel in Texas state courts, federal district courts, and arbitration, for plaintiffs and defendants, for individuals, small businesses, hospitals, and Fortune 500 and Fortune 100 companies. The matters below are listed with case names, courts, and dispositions so that counsel and clients evaluating trial experience can verify it.
Tried below, defended above.
Appellate record
John has argued and won cases before the Texas Courts of Appeals, the Texas Supreme Court, the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, and the Federal Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. That record includes a unanimous reversal in the Texas Supreme Court in the case that set the statute of limitations for all general torts in Texas, and a successful brief in opposition to a petition for writ of certiorari before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Many of the trial results below were tested on appeal and affirmed. Where that is the case, it is noted in the entry.
Section one
Commercial, IP, and fraud matters
On behalf of plaintiff commercial case clients -- verdicts, judgments and settlements exceeding $200,000,000. Representative matters tried as lead counsel:
Steven Eifert v. IKON Office Solutions, Inc.
215th District Court, Harris County, Texas
Following a two-week jury trial, obtaining for a defendant client a zero judgment regarding a securities fraud claim for $70,000,000. The appellate court upheld the take-nothing judgment.
Varco, L.P. v. Pason
U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
Following a two-week jury trial, obtaining for a plaintiff client in Denver a patent infringement jury verdict of $14,300,000 - the highest verdict in Colorado that year. The verdict was upheld on appeal and collected.
Air Measurement Technology v. Akin Gump, et al.
U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas
Following a four-week jury trial, obtaining for a plaintiff client a professional liability verdict of $72,611.397.83 - one of the highest verdicts in Texas that year. The case settled for a large confidential amount after trial.
Petrello v. Prucka, et al.
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
Following a one-week jury trial, obtaining for a defendant client a zero judgment of a real estate breach of contract claim for $8,200,000. The Court awarded complete attorneys' fees to the client. The final judgment was upheld on appeal.
Tesco v. Weatherford, et al.
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
Following a two-week jury trial, obtaining for a defendant client a zero judgment of a patent infringement case where the plaintiff originally sought over $100,000,000 and sought over $14,000,000 at trial. The Court awarded complete attorneys' fees to the client. The final judgment was upheld on appeal and attorneys' fees were collected.
National Oilwell Varco, L.P. v. Pason Systems USA Corporation
U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
Following a four-day bench trial, obtaining for a plaintiff client a patent infringement verdict and judgment exceeding $4,000,000. The judgment was upheld on appeal and collected.
Dong Dang Huynh v. Richard Haynes, et al.
11th District Court, Harris County, Texas
Following a ten-day jury trial, obtaining for a defendant client a zero judgment in a case claiming over $1,000,000 for alleged fraud and breach of fiduciary duty. The final judgment for the client was not appealed.
Sealy Davis v. Pipkin, Oliver & Bradley, LLP, et al.
AAA Arbitration, Houston, Texas
Following a five-day arbitration hearing, obtaining for a defendant client a zero award regarding claims that alleged fraud and breaches of fiduciary duty caused over $3,000,000 dollars in damages. The three-member arbitration panel awarded complete attorneys' fees to the client.
National Oilwell Varco, L.P. v. Pason Systems
U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
Obtaining for a plaintiff client a patent infringement settlement regarding three related patent infringement cases (in Colorado, Texas, and Canada) in the total amount of $112,000,000, one of the largest in the country that year. All settlement funds were collected.
Peak Completion Technologies, Inc., et al. v. Team Oil Tools, LLP, et al.
441st District Court, Midland County, Texas
Representation of a plaintiff/counter defendant in an alleged theft of trade secrets case with over $35,000,000 at issue. Following a ten-day trial, the jury returned a verdict that the client did not steal trade secrets but the opposing party did steal trade secrets. The case settled favorably and confidentially after trial.
Derrick Petroleum Services v. PLS, Inc.
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
Representation of a defendant/counter plaintiff in a breach of contract case in which over $30,000,000 was at issue. Following a six-day trial, the jury returned a verdict for the client, and the case was settled favorably and confidentially after trial.
National Oilwell Varco, L.P v. Auto-Drill, Inc.
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Texas
Following a seven-day jury trial, obtaining a zero judgment for counter-defendant client of alleged breach of contract and fraud claims seeking over $8,000,000. The judgment was upheld on appeal.
Section two
Professional liability and personal injury matters
Trials defending physicians, hospitals, lawyers, and businesses, and representing injured plaintiffs, across three decades of Texas and Oklahoma courtrooms:
Raymond Watts v. TELA
10th District Court, Galveston County, Texas
Following a five-day jury trial, obtaining a zero verdict and judgment for a defendant client in a case involving alleged toxic chemical inhalation by an industrial plant worker. The jury returned a verdict that there was no injury and there was no toxic inhalation. Because of the verdict and the evidence presented at trial, nearly one dozen identical cases were dropped by other plaintiffs.
T.E. Mize v. Houston Belt & Terminal Railway Company, et al.
152nd District Court, Harris County, Texas
Following a five-day jury trial, obtaining a verdict and judgment for defendant client in a case involving a railroad worker who claimed over $1,000,000 for personal injuries incurred on the job. Over six figures was offered to settle the case. During closing argument, John suggested to the jury that they should return a verdict for $5,000, which is what they did.
Ira Keith Cummins v. Memorial City Cardiology Associates, et al.
334th District Court, Harris County, Texas
Following a six-day jury trial, obtaining a zero verdict and judgment for a defendant client in a medical malpractice lawsuit claiming that negligent care in a hospital caused the plaintiff to be paralyzed. Over $1,000,000 was claimed in damages. The jury returned a verdict of no liability.
Kenneth & Elizabeth Phelan v. Carlos Estrada, M.D.
319th District Court, Nueces County, Texas
Obtaining a zero judgment for a defendant client based on motion during trial of a medical malpractice lawsuit claiming that anti-seizure medication was negligently prescribed, causing injury. The jury returned a verdict of no liability.
William Chumley, et al. v. Charter Fairmont Institute, Inc.
61st District Court, Harris County, Texas
Following a four-day jury trial, obtaining a zero verdict and judgment for a defendant client in a medical malpractice lawsuit claiming that a psychiatric hospital failed to properly supervise patients, leading to an unwanted pregnancy. The jury returned a verdict of no liability.
Joe Lynn Humpries, et al. v. St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, et al.
133rd District Court, Harris County, Texas
Following a six-day jury trial, obtaining a zero verdict and judgment for a defendant client in a medical malpractice lawsuit claiming that a dietitian's changes to a doctor's patient feeding orders caused the patient's death. Several million dollars were claimed in damages. The jury returned a verdict of no liability. The plaintiff's lawyer was the renowned Richard "Racehorse" Haynes. He and John became good friends after trial, and John represented him in another case years later.
Mary and Paul Gipslis v. Baylor College of Medicine
190th District Court, Harris County, Texas
Following a four-day jury trial, obtaining a zero verdict and judgment for a defendant client in a medical malpractice lawsuit claiming that a cardiologist's negligent care led to an unnecessary leg amputation. The jury returned a verdict of no liability.
Sandra Jean Willoughby v. Baylor College of Medicine, et al.
11th District Court, Harris County, Texas
Representation of an orthopedic surgeon in a medical malpractice lawsuit involving a severed artery during a procedure, leading to permanent nerve damage. Following a four-day trial, the jury returned a verdict for significantly less than the last settlement offer.
King v. Circle K. Stores, Inc.
260th District Court, Orange County, Texas
Representation of a convenience store in a dram shop double fatality case in Orange County, Texas with seven wrongful death family member plaintiffs. Two young police officers had been killed by a drunk driver who ran a stop sign. The driver had allegedly purchased alcohol while drunk at the defendant convenience store. Over $60,000,000 was claimed as damages. The case settled for a small fraction of the amount claimed at the conclusion of the nineteen-day trial.
Alice Thompson v. Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, et al.
157th District Court, Harris County, Texas
Following a 17-day jury trial, obtaining a zero verdict and judgment for Baylor and nearly two dozen defendant doctors in a medical malpractice lawsuit claiming that negligence caused a child to suffer severe brain damage. Over $50,000,000 was claimed as damages. After three days of jury deliberation, the jury returned a verdict of no liability.
Marlene Green v. C.R. Anthony Company, et al.
District Court of Pontotoc County, Oklahoma
Following a four-day jury trial, obtaining a zero verdict and judgment for a small-town Oklahoma department store in a premises liability case. The plaintiff, the wife of the retired long-time local high school football coach, alleged that a dangerous condition in the store (a wire strung between clothing racks) caused her to fall and break her hip, requiring a hip replacement. The jury returned a verdict of no liability.
Mary Osborne, et al. v. The Estate of Dr. Jack Southern, et al.
133rd District Court, Harris County, Texas
Following a four-day jury trial, obtaining a zero verdict and judgment for a neurosurgeon in a medical malpractice lawsuit claiming that negligent back surgery caused spinal damage. The jury deliberated less than five minutes before returning a defense verdict on liability.
Jay Panchal, et al. v. Ignatia Van Den Veyver, M.D. et al.
164th District Court, Harris County, Texas
Following an eight-day jury trial, obtaining a zero verdict and judgment for several defendant doctors in a medical malpractice lawsuit claiming that negligent care caused a mother to die during childbirth. The jury returned a verdict of no liability.
Garcia v. Columbia Rio Grande Healthcare, L.P., et al.
275th District Court, Hidalgo County, Texas
Representation of the defendant hospital in a Hidalgo County Texas medical malpractice lawsuit claiming that negligent hospital care caused a baby to be paralyzed and brain damaged. Over $40,000,000 in damages was claimed. The jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff substantially less than the amount claimed, and the case settled on appeal.
Kayla Dang v. Bernard Frazier
County Court at Law No. 3, Harris County, Texas
Obtaining a zero judgment for defendant client in an auto accident case where the defendant "rear ended" the plaintiff. John proved during cross-examination of the plaintiff that the plaintiff's scam was to slam her brakes when the cars behind her got close and then sue them, and that she had filed three other identical lawsuits over the years and lied about them under oath. At a break during cross-examination, the plaintiff agreed to an immediate dismissal with prejudice.
Janci Ricks v. Conley, Rosenberg, Scroggins & Brenneise, LLP, et al.
191st District Court, Dallas County, Texas
Representation of the defendant lawyer in a Dallas County legal malpractice case involving his handling of an underlying matter. After an eight-day jury trial, the jury returned a verdict of significantly less than the amount claimed, and the case settled on appeal.
Kurtis Webb and Ingrid Webb v. Brad Stockford, et al.
199th District Court, Collin County, Texas
Representation of the defendant lawyer in a Collin County legal malpractice case in which the lawyer had admitted to his client that he "dropped the ball" in failing to designate an expert in the underlying matter. John's defense was that the underlying matter itself lacked merit, therefore there was no damage to the plaintiff. After a week-long trial, the jury returned a verdict for the plaintiff - but the judge granted the defense a judgment notwithstanding the verdict based on John's defense. The court's order dismissing the case was upheld on appeal.
Richard C. King v. Patti LaBelle, et al.
U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas
Representing the plaintiff in an assault and battery case against a famous singer and her bodyguard regarding a violent altercation outside Bush Intercontinental Airport. After an eight-day trial, the jury returned a verdict of assault but found it was justified by self-defense.
Why this page exists
Experience is the product. Here is the receipt.
Parties choosing a mediator, counsel selecting an arbitrator, and firms retaining a trial consultant all ask the same underlying question: has this person actually done the work? This record is published with case names, courts, and dispositions so the answer can be checked rather than taken on faith.
This experience spans the law, the rules of evidence and procedure, and the appellate system, and just as importantly, the human side of juries and judges. It is the foundation for John's work today as a mediator, an arbitrator, and a litigation consultant.
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