Areas of Law · Crone Law PLLC
Civil Litigation in San Antonio
A civil dispute is a problem with a deadline. Handled early and well, most are solved; handled late, they get expensive. Either way you want a litigator who is genuinely ready to try the case.
What We Handle
Business and contract disputes, partnership and ownership fights, personal disputes that have escalated, and claims built for resolution but ready for trial. The threshold question is always whether the matter is better settled or fought, and we answer it honestly. Texas law leans the same way: it is the stated policy of the state to encourage the peaceable resolution of disputes and the early settlement of pending litigation.1 The numbers bear that out. In a national Bureau of Justice Statistics study of state courts, trials accounted for about 3 percent of tort, contract, and real property dispositions in general-jurisdiction courts.2 Most cases resolve before a verdict, which is exactly why being ready for one matters at the negotiating table.
The Deadline Is Real
Limitations periods in Texas are shorter than most people expect. Most suits for personal injury or for injury to another person’s property must be brought within two years of the day the cause of action accrues.3 Suits for debt, fraud, or breach of fiduciary duty generally must be brought within four years.4 Claims with no express limitations period of their own, a category that includes many contract disputes, fall under a residual four-year statute.5 The calendar starts running before most people call a lawyer, and waiting narrows options long before it ends them.
Where the Case Is Heard
The size and nature of a dispute shape the forum. Texas justice courts hear civil matters in which the amount in controversy is not more than $20,000, exclusive of interest,6 while larger cases proceed in the county and district courts. Wherever the case is filed, it moves under the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure approved by the Supreme Court of Texas,7 and command of those rules is what keeps a case moving instead of drifting.
What to Expect
Bryan Kennedy-Crone prepares the case thoroughly from the first week, because preparation is what creates a stronger position at the negotiating table and credibility in the courtroom.
- Businesses and owners in a contract or partnership dispute
- People owed money or sued over an agreement
- Anyone facing a dispute that negotiation has not resolved
- Parties who want a litigator ready for trial, not just a letter
Common Questions
Should I settle or fight?
It depends on the facts, the cost, and the goal. We give you a straight assessment rather than a one-size-fits-all answer.
How much will litigation cost?
Cost tracks complexity and conflict. We talk about it openly and look for the most efficient path to your goal.
Are you actually prepared to go to trial?
Yes. Preparation for trial is exactly what produces strong settlements.
Sources & Authorities
Statutes, court rules, and figures on this page link to their official sources. Provided for transparency and general information, not as legal advice.
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 154.002, Policy (it is the policy of this state to encourage the peaceable resolution of disputes and the early settlement of pending litigation through voluntary settlement procedures). statutes.capitol.texas.gov ↩
- Lynn Langton & Thomas H. Cohen, Bureau of Justice Statistics, “Civil Bench and Jury Trials in State Courts, 2005” (trials accounted for about 3% of all tort, contract, and real property dispositions in general jurisdiction courts). bjs.ojp.gov ↩
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.003, Two-Year Limitations Period (suits for personal injury, conversion, and injury to the property of another must be brought not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues). statutes.capitol.texas.gov ↩
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.004, Four-Year Limitations Period (suits for specific performance of a contract for the conveyance of real property, debt, fraud, and breach of fiduciary duty must be brought not later than four years after the day the cause of action accrues). statutes.capitol.texas.gov ↩
- Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code § 16.051, Residual Limitations Period (every action for which there is no express limitations period, except an action for the recovery of real property, must be brought not later than four years after the day the cause of action accrues). statutes.capitol.texas.gov ↩
- Tex. Gov’t Code § 27.031, Jurisdiction (justice courts have original jurisdiction of civil matters in which the amount in controversy is not more than $20,000, exclusive of interest). statutes.capitol.texas.gov ↩
- Supreme Court of Texas, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure (current rules as approved by the Supreme Court of Texas, published by the Texas Judicial Branch). txcourts.gov ↩
- State Bar of Texas, Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 7.01 (communications concerning a lawyer’s services). texasbar.com ↩
King William Law Center is a shared office for independent firms. This page is attorney advertising and general information, not legal advice, and it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Crone Law PLLC, not King William Law Center, provides the legal services described here. The practice of law in Texas is governed by the State Bar of Texas and the Texas Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct.8 Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.