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Statewide Business Court reports 134 cases and stresses national‑style case management; transfer rules and two‑party consent limit referrals
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Summary
Judge Bill Hamrick told the Appropriations subcommittee the Statewide Business Court has handled 134 cases to date, traces roughly $1.11 billion in initial amount‑in‑controversy, and said transfers into the court require party consent so objections keep cases in local courts unless parties agree otherwise.
The Statewide Business Court presented operational statistics and jurisdictional details to the House Appropriations subcommittee on Dec. 18, saying the specialized trial court has handled 134 cases since inception and emphasizes tailored case management for complex commercial litigation.
“134 cases have been filed to date in the court,” Judge Bill Hamrick said as he walked the committee through a stat sheet showing 569 parties, 683 attorneys and 845 claims across those matters. The court provided an initial estimate of roughly $1.11 billion in amount‑in‑controversy based on initial pleadings and acknowledged that figure is conservative.
The court emphasized two practical features: active case management aimed at faster resolution of dispositive motions (the court cited an average of about 10 days to resolve many right‑to‑move motions) and an outreach program to educate lawyers and litigants about the court’s statewide role. Hamrick said the court live streams and records hearings to increase transparency and reported about 16,698 views and 13,000 hours watched across proceedings.
Venue and transfer rules: The business court explained that filing in the statewide forum does not change a case’s trial venue; trials and juries are drawn from the county where venue is proper and the court travels to try cases locally. The court also described its transfer process: a party can petition to transfer a pending case to the business court, but if any party objects the case stays in the originating court. Hamrick told lawmakers that objections have become less frequent as case law clarified the process; this year the court reported 22 new filings and five objections.
Why it matters: The business court aims to concentrate expertise for high‑stakes commercial disputes, which proponents say reduces delays and produces clearer precedent for business litigants. Committee members pressed about the two‑party consent requirement and whether statutory changes could make transfers automatic for certain threshold cases; court staff said those are legislative choices and the court will follow whatever the legislature provides.
What’s next: Court officials provided the committee with a slide packet, promised additional data on petition and objection counts over prior years, and asked for continued legislative engagement if lawmakers want to alter transfer rules or the court’s statutory thresholds.
