Rockwall County court holds closed session on ‘Doctor Horton’ litigation, reconvenes with no action

The Rockwall County Commissioners Court recessed into executive session on March 17 to discuss pending or contemplated litigation and municipal utility districts, including matters the Chair described as the “Doctor Horton” litigation, then reconvened in open session with no action taken and adjourned later that morning.

The court’s presiding officer announced at the start of the meeting that it would consider moving into executive session under the Open Meetings Act. “We will be in executive session on pending or contemplated litigation and attorney client information discussion of Doctor Horton litigation and municipal utility districts at 10:02,” the Chair said. The Chair later confirmed, “We are in executive session,” and after the closed session stated the court had reconvened and taken no action on those matters.

The Chair cited the Open Meetings Act (Texas Government Code, chapter 551) and referenced applicable provisions governing consultation with attorneys and permitted executive-session topics. The court’s notice indicated its authority to meet privately to seek legal advice on issues where attorney–client confidentiality applies.

There were no public forum speakers during the meeting. The court then moved through a brief round of commissioner reports, during which Commissioner Lauren O'Lichte offered St. Patrick’s Day greetings and Commissioner Maklick said he had nothing to report. The Chair asked for reports from other commissioners and recorded none.

The meeting adjourned at 11:53 a.m.

Notes on transcript spelling: the transcript introduces the invocation leader as “Commissioner Gallano” and later the Chair refers to “Commissioner Galana”; the transcript self-identifies one commissioner as “Lauren O'Lichte.” The article uses the spellings as they appear in the record and notes the alternate renderings where they occur.